Nevermore
by Mstngsali1
Summary: Sam and Dean get an unexpected visitor that turns things upside down.  Is their romance blooming for Sam or Dean? Is this mysterious woman what she says she is? AR, OC. NO SLASH!
1. Chapter 1

**This story takes place between eps 6.16 and 6.17. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't gotten to ep 6.16, I don't want to spoil anything for you. You can consider this story to be taking place in an alternate universe. And, I do not own anything, I am just borrowing. **

**If you are enjoying this story, let your SPN friends know! The more fans, the more I write. ;) Enjoy!**

Dakota slung her jacket over her arm as she walked to her car. The night was warmer than usual for Bedford at this time of year. Yawning hugely, she unlocked her car door and climbed in. Working at Burger World in the evenings and carrying a full load at Cleveland State was taking its toll. She gave a small wave across the parking lot at her shift leader, Kurt, as he pulled out of the parking lot. Kurt was constantly asking her out. He was cute enough but Dakota had too much on her plate as it was.

She was exhausted from her shift and worrying about her upcoming paper on linear string theory as she backed out of her parking space. Dakota heard a strange grinding that seemed to be coming from the passenger's side of her car. Stopping, she got out and checked her tire. It wasn't flat and she couldn't see any damage that might be causing the strange sound.

"Great, just what I need." Her sparse savings account wouldn't hold up against a major car repair.

Suddenly, there was a brilliant blue-white light coming from behind her, illuminating the entire lot. She whirled around to see its source barreling in her direction. The metallic squeal and roaring engine were deafening. Screaming, Dakota ran toward the building but it was too late. The rumbling monster caught up to her and left her chewed and mangled body on the sidewalk, under a sign advertising "fresh, never frozen beef".

* * *

><p>The woman pulled her non-descript rental sedan into a parking space at the motel. The muscle car sitting to her left caused an ache of longing in her chest. Powerful, even when still, it refused to go unnoticed even by those who could never appreciate its true beauty. Even seen through her peripheral vision, its lines made her heart flutter. Its presence reminded her of a simpler time in her life. She wanted to take a longer look but the red door of room number twenty-three demanded her attention.<p>

As she opened the car door, the Indian summer breeze blew the smell of freshly mowed grass and decomposing leaves across her face. She inhaled deeply but the scent was not enough to stop her pulse from pounding frantically. She didn't want to get out of the car. Her instincts all but glued her to the seat. Her mind was screaming that this was crazy and she should drive away now. But her soul knew that the path she had chosen to follow was one way only. There was no going back. Mentally calling herself a coward, she climbed out of the car, walked the seven steps to the door brusquely, and then hesitated. Would they believe her? What would she do if they didn't? What would she do if they did? Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door, with a mixture of apprehension and hope lodged deep inside her chest. Destiny awaited on the other side.

Dean was lying across the small double bed, feet dangling off the corner, dozing. The last case they had tackled wasn't particularly difficult but it was tiring. There's something to be said for physical exhaustion to keep you from thinking too much. It had been days since he had been in a bed and even longer since he'd had more than a couple of hours sleep at once. After a few drinks, he could feel the fog of intoxication and exhaustion. He let it take him, grateful for the escape.

Sam, on the other hand, was wired. He cleaned his shotgun with enthusiasm, excited with their success. This job was just what he had needed. There had been lots of hack and slash, not so much thinking. Every time his attention wasn't occupied, the feeling he had been plagued with came back. It wasn't a coherent thought as much as it was an itch in his subconscious. Something big was coming. Sam didn't know whether it was good or bad but it was going to be game changing.

He hadn't mentioned any of this to Dean. He would probably freak out and worry that Sammy was using his "psychic crap" or that he was scratching at the "wall". This was more intuition than anything relating to his former abilities or potentially debilitating memories. He sighed and returned to the mindless task in front of him.

There was a quiet knock at the door. Sam glanced at Dean, who snored softly, wondering if he should wake him. It's possible that one of the vamps had escaped the slaughter. But why would vamps knock? Another soft tap beckoned. Sam picked up his .45 and decided to greet their visitor alone. If it was bad news on the other side, Dean would know soon enough.

Sam pulled open the door, surprised at who was on the other side. The woman looked at him with a mixture of astonishment and trepidation, "Sam Winchester?" she inquired quietly.

"Who wants to know?" He was startled that she seemed to know who he was. She didn't look like a cop or a fed.

"Castiel sent me here to see you and your brother. I will gladly answer all your questions and take all the standard demon tests but I think it best if I come inside."

Sam was stunned. She knew Cass and apparently knew the truth about what they did. She didn't look like a hunter. He opened the door to let her in. Before he could turn around to begin questioning her, he heard Dean cock his gun. Before Sam could yell at him to stop, she was wrestling with Dean and much to Sam's surprise, she was winning. This mystery woman then abruptly stomped on Dean's instep, grabbed his arm pinned it behind his back as he went to the ground and took his pistol from him. Dean's curses were muffled and his own firearm was pointed at the back of his head as he lay on the hotel carpet.

As Sam gawked, she let Dean up and handed him the weapon. "I wouldn't advise you do that again. I could have really hurt you." Turning her attention to Sam, she spoke with authority, "Sam, I have been sent here by Cass. If you call him, he will confirm what I have told you. Bobby Singer can also vouch for me. Please hand me your flask of holy water and a silver knife so I can prove to you I am not possessed or a shape shifter."

Who was this woman? Sam handed her his silver dagger and flask. She took a swig and proceeded to slice her forearm with the knife. "Satisfied?" Her tone again filled with conviction.

He was indeed satisfied. Sam knew that she was the "game change" he had been sensing. Taking a moment to actually look at her, she was quite beautiful. Her dark auburn hair was cut severely short, but it suited her somewhat angular face. She carried her voluptuous but muscular frame with grace, an almost regal dignity. She dressed simply in jeans and a t-shirt which neither accentuated nor detracted from her figure. But her most startling feature had to be her eyes. They were a shade of indigo he had never seen before, the color of the sky right before dusk. They were perfectly shaped, framed by dark lashes, intense and bottomless. He could see straight into her soul. And what he saw there made him shiver. Yes, she was the "itch" in his subconscious, and things were definitely about to change.

* * *

><p>She sat on the bed where Dean had been sleeping, bandaging the self-inflicted cut that proved she wasn't a shape shifter. As he watched, Dean noticed that she worked with precision, like she had done the exact same procedure a thousand times. Sam was on the phone with Bobby, finding out what he knew about their visitor. Dean had already "called" Cass but he had yet to respond. His foot was aching where she had smashed it. If he was being honest with himself, he had underestimated this girl and she got the drop on him. Her move was excellent but he wasn't about to admit that to her or anyone else.<p>

"Who are you, lady?" He could smother his curiosity no longer, "How do you know about us?"

She didn't look up from her arm and said simply, "I have already told you that. Cass sent me."

Sam interrupted before he could ask any more questions, "She checks out, Dean," He had the nerve to look relieved. Dean was hoping to have an excuse to teach this girl some manners.

"You never answered my question. Who are you?" His patience was starting to wear thin, the lack of sleep making him edgy. Sam grinned at her. He actually seemed amused. What was going on with him anyway?

"So, Bobby says your name is Raven." Sam interjected.

Dean couldn't help but make a Poe joke to himself. What kind of stupid name was Raven?

She gave Sam a half smile while closing up the rather sophisticated first-aid kit she had brought with her, "I never said Raven was my name. I told Bobby he could call me that. I would rather not reveal anymore about myself that is absolutely necessary."

Dean pounced, "Why? What are you hiding?"

She shot him a glare of loathing and brusquely replied, "Nothing. Merely protecting those I love. Doing what we do, innocent bystanders invariably get caught in the cross fire."

"So you're a hunter? How long have you been on the job?" Dean was going to get at least one of his questions answered to his satisfaction.

"I've been hunting for about three years now. I worked with Bobby on a Wendigo case in North Dakota about a year and a half ago. He called me again about 6 months ago to deal with a small vamp nest in Wyoming that he couldn't find anyone else to take. "

Sam nodded, "That's what Bobby said. He was really impressed with her, Dean. Said she was one of the best he'd ever seen."

Dean smirked and shook his head, "Yeah, right. Three years isn't nearly enough time to become remotely good at this."

Again, Raven shot him a contemptuous look. "You don't know the first thing about me, Dean Winchester. Do not presume that I am not excellent at what I do because I don't have years of experience. I am a certified NRA sharpshooter with distinction, have black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Aikido, can read Latin, Enochian, Aramaic, Sanskrit and a half dozen other languages… oh and there's the fact that I put your ass on the floor with very little effort."

Dean got to his feet and Raven reacted in kind. Dean looked at her with open revulsion. The look was returned, her dark blue eyes frigid. As he stared her down, something flickered underneath her cool glare. Dean felt his stomach clench and his heart race. What the hell was happening? She lowered her head, breaking contact and clearing her throat. He was grateful the connection was gone and his reaction to it confused him. The feelings created by her intense eyes were uncomfortable, making his suspicion of Raven even greater.

* * *

><p>Raven looked down at her feet, trying to stop the swimming in her head. Dean's smoldering gaze caused a cold sweat on her brow and goose pimples… well, everywhere. What the heck was that? There was no doubt that Dean detested her and the feeling was quickly becoming mutual. But there was a spark that had passed between them. The question was... what did it mean?<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

**I should have included this in the heading of the first story but I forgot so… This story takes place between eps 6.16 and 6.17. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't gotten to ep 6.16, I don't want to spoil anything for you. You can consider this story to be taking place in an alternate universe. And, I do not own anything, I am just borrowing. **

Dean was puzzled by the look on Raven's face. She looked rattled, almost vulnerable, which was not the reaction he was expecting. What kind of game is she playing? Sure, she was hot and all, but she was also a stranger who knew too much about them and what they do. If Dean had learned anything from his father it was this, never trust another hunter. So she could look all vulnerable and thoughtful… and definitely kissable.

"Stop it, Dean." he mumbled to himself. You have a job to do. Don't let yourself get distracted.

Before he could continue to berate himself further, Dean heard a fluttering sound from behind him. Sam greeted Cass with a smile, "Hey Cass."

Cass was wearing his "all business" look which Dean noticed looked a lot like his "not all business" look. He felt himself smirk at his internal dialogue. "Let's cut to the chase, Cass. This lady says you sent her here." He stepped to the side so Cass could see Raven sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Hello, Raven," Cass nodded. "I'm glad you found the brothers as quickly as you did."

"So you did send her here, Cass?" Sam inquired. He was still wearing that overjoyed look he had after Raven had disarmed Dean. He felt like smacking it off of Sam's face.

"Why would you send another hunter after us?" Dean insisted.

Cass turned his attention to Dean with a look that indicated he was in no mood to explain himself. "Dean, Raven is a key part of the journey you are about to undertake. I know you have questions but I cannot answer them at this time. I am asking you and Sam to trust me. She must hunt with you, until such time as it appears clear why."

Dean took a good look at Cass. His appearance was haggard, his expression strained. He supposed the war in Heaven wasn't going very well. But asking them to trust this woman just because he said so… how was he supposed to do that? Angels weren't exactly the champions of truth these days and Cass had just used them as a diversion by sending them to an alternate universe. Trust was in short supply.

"You want us to have faith in you after everything that has gone on lately? You have to be kidding me." Dean licked his lips and started pacing, toward the door, back toward the bed, toward the door again. He did his best thinking while pacing. "So you aren't going to tell us why this woman has to hunt with us?"

Raven interjected, giving Dean another frosty look, "Hello? Sitting right here. I have a name, you know."

"That's exactly my point! You gave us a really dumb alias instead of your real name. We don't know the first thing about you and I am supposed to have you watching my back on a hunt? I have another idea. How about hell no?" Dean exploded. He was tired of being bossed around by a bunch of dicks with wings.

"Dean, calm down. Let's talk about this rationally." Sam crossed the room to talk to Cass face to face. "Cass, why can't you tell us the reason Raven has to hunt with us?"

Cass looked at Sam with a softer expression, "If I were to reveal Raven's purpose on this journey it could compromise the future and I cannot allow that to happen. All will reveal itself in due course. That is all I can say about the matter."

Dean heard Sam sigh. "Dean, can I talk to you in private?" He moved toward the door.

"I must leave. I was in battle when you called." Cass interrupted.

Dean asked him, "Are you going to tell us anything else about her?"

Cass replied tersely, "No. I cannot."

"Take off then." Dean said sourly. It's not like Cass had given them any useful information except that the angels were being manipulative again. Dean turned back toward the door and heard the flutter of wings again. He yanked it open, exasperated with the current situation with Cass.

He heard Sam turn to Raven and say, "We'll be right back," closing the door behind him.

* * *

><p>"What have I gotten myself into? " Raven mumbled to herself as they left her sitting on the tattered bedspread. Dean was more of a spoiled brat than she had been prepared for. Cass had supplied Raven with copies of Chuck's writings so that she could get to know the brothers better. Knowing their history had been helpful in constructing an approach to the situation but the reality of the Winchesters didn't translate to paper that well. Sam wasn't as docile as he came off in the books and Dean… well, he was just… broken. Everything in his demeanor screamed it. Behind the hostility in his hazel eyes, Raven had seen the sadness, the utter lack of hope. Maybe that was what caused her reaction. In all her years, she had never seen that kind of naked despair.<p>

"He's still a pain in my ass." she thought out loud. She was not about to let some cocky, self centered, Neanderthal get in the way of the reason she was here. She would complete her task, come hell or high water.

* * *

><p>"Dean, I think we should give her the benefit of the doubt." Sam pleaded. Dean was already suspicious of Raven, and with good reason. If Sam had been thinking clearly he would be skeptical too. But Sam wasn't thinking at all, he was reacting. Something about her had rocked him to his core. He felt happy for the first time in a long while. It was like she had returned his hope just by being in the room. It didn't make sense but Sam wasn't about to let Dean run her off until he'd had a chance to think things through.<p>

"Sam, you can't be serious! We don't know the first thing about her! And having an angel vouch for her doesn't give her a gold star." Dean was pacing again. Sam knew that Dean did his best thinking while pacing.

Sam sighed and replied, "Don't forget that Bobby has worked with her also. You may not trust Cass and I understand why but Bobby is family. His opinion should be gold." Sam knew that Dean couldn't argue with that logic.

Dean pulled his cell out of his pants pocket, dialed and activated the speaker. Sam heard the gruff voice of Bobby Singer say, "Hey Dean."

"Bobby, what can you tell me about this Raven chick?"

"Well," Bobby began, "She came to me highly recommended. Worked with a couple of hunters in Colorado and they couldn't say enough good things. Bill and Craig said they'd work with her again in a heartbeat. The jobs I gave her were finished before I could blink. She's damn good. Not to mention she's easy on the eyes."

Dean snorted, "Easy on the eyes doesn't help us when a monster is trying to eat my face. Bobby I need answers. How do we know she isn't a demon or a shape shifter or a…"

"She drank holy water and cut herself with a silver knife. She's not any of those things. Dean, what is your real problem?" Sam was starting to get exasperated with Dean's stubborn attitude. He could understand if it was just Cass who told them about Raven, but Bobby had attested to her abilities. That should have been all the information Dean needed. There was something more going on here. "Why don't you just admit that you don't like the fact that a woman got the jump on you?" Sam knew that would get under his skin.

Dean glared at Sam, "That has nothing to do with it. She caught me off guard."

Sam heard snickering coming from Dean's phone, "Dean? You let her take you down? Don't worry; she put Craig in his place too. Earned both of their respect. Bill said he had never seen a shot like her before. Call yourselves lucky she is on our side." Bobby then sighed and said, "Dean, don't look a gift hunter in the mouth. With everything going on right now it's a good idea to have backup. Raven is a professional. I'd be proud to have her at my side."

Bobby rarely heaped praise on anyone. If he wasn't convinced before, Sam was now. All he needed was for Dean to stop his temper tantrum and get on board.

Sam was about to continue the argument when he heard the door open behind him. He glanced back to see Raven standing on the sidewalk, looking pretty irritated.

"If you are going to continue this discussion as though I am not here, I might as well get some sleep. I am going to get a room and make friends with the bed. Please let me know when Dean stops acting like a spoiled child so I can tell you about a job I found." Raven then turned on her heal and stalked toward the motel office. When Sam looked back at Dean, he did not look amused.

"Sammy, I am beat. Let's talk more about this after I have had a decent night's sleep and a shower. I'll call you in the mornin' Bobby."

"You got it." Bobby replied. Sam heard a click as Dean stuffed the cell phone back in his jean's pocket.

"Fair enough," Sam conceded. Dean smelt pretty ripe and looked even worse. Maybe after he'd rested he would be more reasonable. He watched Dean go back to the room and slam the door. Sammy was even more wired than he was earlier. There was a new mystery to solve. Who is Raven? Sam decided to pay her a visit and get some answers.

* * *

><p>Raven had just put her bags on the bed when there was a knock at the door.<p>

"Are kidding me?" she muttered. They couldn't have decided that fast. Or had they? Dean could have simply refused to listen to reason and Sam went along with him, to keep the peace.

She pulled open the door to see Sam standing there, wearing a sheepish grin. "You up for a little company?"

She could hardly refuse that puppy dog look of his. It was just too cute. "Sure," she replied, "Come in."

"I'm sorry to disturb you but negotiations have been suspended until the morning so I thought we could get to know each other a little better." The grin made another appearance along with adorable dimples. Raven realized she was going to have a devil of a time saying no to that face.

Walking towards her bags while Sam closed the door, Raven replied, "Well, I'll save you the trouble of having to tell me about you and your brother. Cass provided me with copies of Chuck's writings so I know about as much as anyone can know about the Winchesters."

As he sat on the edge of the bed, Sam looked quite taken aback by the admission but quickly changed his expression to a neutral one. "Wow, then you do know a lot. Did you happen to have a favorite part of our story?"

Raven turned to him and answered, "Well, to be honest, your entire story was utterly depressing. You two have given up so much, lost too much, to do a thankless job. It amazes me that you can even get out of bed in the morning."

"Well, I wasn't expecting that," Sam admitted, "You don't pull any punches, do you?"

"No, I don't. Life is too short to try and skirt around issues. Get them out in the open and move on. Otherwise, you'll drive yourself crazy trying to bottle up emotions. You become a walking time bomb. Like your brother, for example."

Sam's face betrayed nothing but he did look contemplative. "Am I allowed to ask questions about you?"

"Of course," She smiled, "Fire away."

He rubbed his hands together and smirked at her. She giggled and he asked, "Why won't you tell us your real name?"

"Well," She began, "Unlike you and Dean, I have a large family to protect. If any malevolent being figured out who I really am, my family would be in grave danger and I cannot allow anything to happen to them. I am sure you can understand that."

"Yes, I can understand that perfectly." He allowed, "Why did you start hunting?"

Raven's expression darkened, "I'd rather not talk about that." She turned her back on Sam and busied herself collecting toiletries from her bag. Sam stared at the floor. "I'm sorry, Sam." She sighed, "It's not that I won't tell you. It's just very painful to talk about."

"I can relate. Most hunters' stories are sad ones. I'm sure you'll tell me when you feel you are ready to talk about it."

"Thank you. I appreciate that. What else would you like to know?" She tried very hard to brighten her expression.

"What did you do in your former life?"

Raven sighed, "Next question."

"Aren't you going to answer any of my questions? I didn't think that one was an invasion of privacy." Sam retorted with a sly smile.

Raven sat next to him on the bed. "I suppose you are right. Answering that couldn't hurt. I was and still am a doctor."

Sam's face lit up like a kid at Christmas, "A medical doctor?"

"Yep," She answered, "A surgeon and a damn good one too."

"That explains the fancy medical kit. You are going to be useful on the job." Sam looked very pleased.

Raven smirked at him, "As often as you Winchester boys get your asses whipped, taking care of your injuries is going to be a full time job."

Sam laughed out loud. It was an unexpectedly pleasant sound. "Where did you go to medical school?"

Raven hesitated again but realized that piece of information wasn't especially vital to protecting her identity. "I graduated from Johns Hopkins with honors." She had also graduated in three years but including that information felt like bragging. Her parents had been so proud.

Sam whistled through his teeth, braking her reverie, "What in the hell are you doing hunting? You can write your own ticket."

Raven's expression darkened yet again and she began. "Sometimes you have to do what you feel is right, no matter what it costs you. I have never regretted my decision to take up hunting." She felt the weight of the words she spoke on her heart.

Sam's expression perked up, "At least you don't have to hunt with your pain in the ass brother."

She giggled again and admitted, "If I were to hunt with either of my brothers, we'd be at each other's throats inside of a week."

"So you have two brothers? Any sisters?"

Oh crap, I said too much! "Sam, I am really tired. Would it be ok if we continue this discussion tomorrow?"

He looked confused but stood and stepped to the door, "Sure, Raven. No problem. Sleep well and I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night Sam." She also walked to the door and let him out, locking up behind him. It was too easy to talk to him. Raven was going to have to be especially careful. Divulging too much information could be costly.


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3

**I should have included this in the heading of the first story but I forgot so… This story takes place between eps 6.16 and 6.17. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't gotten to ep 6.16, I don't want to spoil anything for you. You can consider this story to be taking place in an alternate universe. And, I do not own anything, I am just borrowing. **

**If you are enjoying this story, let your SPN friends know! The more fans, the more I write. ;) Enjoy!**

"Dean," Sam called from the bathroom, "you gonna sleep all day?"

He stretched and grumbled, "I was thinking about it." He'd slept heavily and it had felt good. All he needed was a good breakfast and the company of a beautiful female and he might actually be in a good mood, for a change. He smirked to himself, and noticed when the idea of a beautiful female entered his mind; Raven's face appeared. Dean instantly grimaced. Why had he thought of her? Yeah, she's totally hot but not his type. She reminded him of the women he saw in bars that looked down on him because he wasn't wearing a Rolex. Not to mention the fact that he was still salty that she had gotten the drop on him. Dean sighed when he realized that Sammy was going to want to talk about her. He's like a freakin' bulldog. When that kid gets something in his head, he doesn't let go.

Sam peeked out the bathroom door, toothpaste on his upper lip and said, "We need to talk about Raven."

"Boy, I called that one." Dean mumbled to himself. "Sammy, let me at least get a shower and some coffee before you start in on me."

"Ok, ok, I'm going to see if Raven wants something to eat. Meet us at the diner on the corner."

Before Dean could respond, Sam was gone. "What's his hurry?" Dean mumbled again and started up the shower.

Sam knocked on the door to Raven's room with a smile on his face. He found himself looking forward to seeing her. The feeling was unnerving but nice. It'd been a long time since Sam was eager to see anyone. Raven opened the door and smiled widely, her hair still damp. The humid smell of honeysuckle and lilac wafted past her, ticking Sam's nose. He actually moaned a little, the scent was intoxicating. Again, she was wearing jeans and a t-shirt but unlike last night, she was barefoot. He realized that she was a couple of inches shorter than she had been. That made her downright tiny.

"Morning, Sam. What can I do for you?" She smiled openly and her face lit up. Who was he kidding? The entire planet lit up when this woman smiled.

"Well, Dean's in the shower and I thought you might like to have breakfast with me."

"That sounds great. Would you like to come in while I finish getting ready?" She stepped aside, allowing Sam access to the room before he answered. He supposed his acceptance was a given.

He took a seat as she strode back to the sink and started blow drying her hair. The noise of the dryer precluded the ability to have a conversation so he decided to check out her room. Her bed was already made. The luggage rack held her duffle, which was open and all contents were neatly folded. For heaven's sake, he thought, the room is cleaner than it was when she got here. Staring at her back, he noticed that her toiletries were organized around the sink.

Raven turned off the blow dryer and turned to him. "Sorry," she said, "I hate having wet hair."

"S'ok. I feel the same way. How did you sleep?" Sam continued analyzing her while making small talk. Underneath the scent of her shower, he could swear he smelt pine cleaner.

"I have slept better but because of med school, I can sleep anywhere, anytime. When you are a resident, you learn to grab sleep when you can."

"I'll bet," Sam replied, "Dean and I are the same way, Dean especially. He falls asleep faster than anyone I have ever seen. Less than ten seconds and he is out."

Raven's laughter tinkled across the room. She was putting on mascara with an expert touch only a woman could have. Sam had noticed that even though she was meticulous about her grooming routine, it was an abbreviated one. She did very little to her hair and had put on even less makeup. Grabbing a pair of socks, she situated herself on the bed.

"What about you, Sam? Do you sleep well these days?"

"Having access to Chuck's writings I would think you know the answer to that question." Sam retorted.

Raven considered his response and spoke thoughtfully, "Chuck's writings end with you jumping into the pit with Lucifer and Adam in tow. I don't know much about what has been happening lately. Bobby filled me in on some stuff but he sucks as a story teller." 

Sam chuckled, "Yeah, if I needed a story, Bobby would not be my first choice. Asking me would be a bad idea. I don't have any memory of the last year."

"Bobby told me that you were without a soul for a year and that you have the memories behind some sort of wall that Death created for you. Is it true that if you pull that wall down, it could kill you?" Raven looked concerned with the question as she asked it.

Sam sighed and realized that if she is going to be hunting with them, she needed to know everything, "Yeah, it's true. I've poked at it already and what I discovered was none too pleasant."

"Then as a doctor, I suggest you stop poking and leave it alone. A wound will never heal if you keep picking at it." Raven gave him a small smile and tilted her head toward him, "Sam, you and your brother are too important to the future to have one of you being a drooling vegetable."

He snapped to attention, "We are important to the future? What does that mean?"

Raven quickly turned her attention to putting on her cowboy boots. Her agitated nature suggested that she had, yet again, said too much. Instead of being annoyed, Sam was all the more intrigued. He loved a mystery and Raven was surely turning out to be one.

Dean was sitting at a table in the coffee shop Sam suggested, getting more annoyed by the minute that he and Raven weren't here. Sam getting some action was not a problem for Dean. It was the fact that Sam woke him up. He could have been sleeping while Sam was getting freaky with the snotty bitch.

Wow, Dean thought to himself, that was harsh. She really hadn't given him a reason to feel that way about her. There was just something about this woman that got under his skin. Her haughty and know-it-all attitude didn't help. It was like dealing with a female version of Sam. The thought made him shudder.

Dean was taking another sip of coffee when Sam and Raven entered the diner. They were smiling and laughing like they had known each other for years. What the hell?

Sam gave Dean a nod of acknowledgement and led Raven to the table just as the waitress was refilling Dean's coffee cup.

"Thanks for waiting, Dean. Sorry about that. Raven wasn't quite ready when I got to her room." Sam said sincerely.

"No need to apologize, Sam. Perfectly understandable." Dean winked at Sam.

Raven's look would have frozen any other man, "We were talking, you pig."

Dean's answering stare would have intimidated any other woman, "Yeah, ok…" He stopped short. He was going to make a crack about her questionable choices in men when he noticed that underneath the loathing of her gaze, there was hurt. Dean had offended her with the assumption. And for some reason that he couldn't understand, he was sorry. With his train of thought interrupted, he actually looked at the woman sitting across from him. In the daylight, she was even hotter than she was last night. Damn, Dean thought to himself, if Sammy doesn't hit that, he's a fool.

The waitress made an appearance to get Sam and Raven's orders. Sam got pancakes and coffee. Raven ordered an egg white omelet and wheat toast with no butter. When asked if she wanted coffee, she asked for orange juice. Dean couldn't help himself and asked, "You don't drink coffee? How in the hell do you function?"

"I have never drank coffee. It's terrible for your body. I eat lots of protein and whole grains." Raven replied with authority.

There's the attitude again, Dean thought. "What are you, a doctor?"

Sam grinned at Dean and answered, "Yeah, Dean. She is a doctor."

Dean was completely caught off guard, "You are really a doctor, Raven?" It was the first time he hadn't addressed her with contempt.

Apparently she was just as surprised with Dean's change in attitude as he was, "Yes, Dean, I am a pediatric vascular surgeon," she said politely.

"You didn't tell me that," Sam commented. Dean noticed that he sounded a little wounded.

"Well, Sam, now that you know my specialty, you should be able to find out who I am easily enough. There aren't many of us in the U.S." Raven replied with resignation.

Sam smiled at her softly, "If you don't want me to know, I won't go looking. You'll tell me when you are ready."

Raven's body responded by immediately relaxing and her answering smile was dazzling. Dean found himself unable to look away from her and at the same time, he felt like an intruder on what felt like a private moment.

Luckily, the waitress interrupted with their food and coffee refills. The rest of the meal was mostly small talk between Sam and Raven with Dean listening on, still feeling like he was out of place there. After the plates were cleared, Dean decided to discuss the proverbial elephant in the room.

"Raven, you are not hunting with us. I'm sorry but no matter how qualified Bobby and Cass think you are, we are about to deal with some serious crap and I can't be worrying about Dr. Quinn here getting hurt."

Sam started to argue but Dean held his hand up, "Sammy, this isn't up for debate. You know what's going on right now and we can't be responsible for anyone else."

"Excuse me, Dean, I can take care of myself just fine. The truth is that you have a problem with me. Look, I'm sorry I attacked you last night. But you cocked a gun near my head and my reflexes took over." The words implied apology but Dean got the feeling there was little sincerity behind them.

"That has nothing to do with my decision. Sam and I aren't your typical hunters. Bad stuff, and I do mean bad, seeks us out, not the other way around." Dean said quickly, his voice deepening with anger.

Sam interrupted, "Dean, Cass gave her copies of Chuck's books. She knows everything up until I jumped into the pit."

Dean was again surprised and questioned Raven, "So, you know what we've been through and you still want to hunt with us? You are crazier than I gave you credit for, Lady."

"What ever gave you the idea that I **want** to hunt with you? I wasn't seeking out the two of you. Cass found me and gave me no choice. You might relish disobeying Heaven's wishes but this isn't something I can run from. Take from that what you want to but I have to go with you and Sam, like it or not. If you won't let me come, I am just going to follow you. And be warned, I am an excellent tracker."

Raven's words weren't cocky. They rang of truth and confidence. Dean admitted to himself that she probably could track them pretty well. If she had read Chuck's writings, she knew all their aliases and typical hangouts. Not to mention that Cass or Bobby would just tell her where they were, even if they could lose her.

"Can I offer a compromise here?" Sam interjected, "Raven, last night you mentioned a job. Tell us about it, please."

She leaned in toward Dean so she could lower her voice in the quiet diner. "I found an article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer about a college student who was run down in the parking lot of a Burger World in Bedford, Ohio."

"So," Dean interrupted, "that's hardly our thing."

Raven sighed, "Please let me finish. At the scene, there were no tire marks and the victim suffered massive injuries that would have required a vehicle that weighs significantly more that even the heaviest production vehicles. "

Dean was about to interrupt again and she silenced him with a look, "The oddest thing is that the intersection where the Burger World is located is in downtown Bedford and always busy, even at the time of night the incident occurred. Witnesses saw the victim running away from her car and reported a loud metallic screeching and an even louder sound of an engine but none of them 'saw' anything." Raven looked at Dean, "Still think it's not our thing?"

"She's right Dean, we really should check that out." Sam stated plainly. Dean got the feeling Sam would go to a Flea Market if she asked him. "I propose a compromise. Let's work this job together and see how it goes. No commitment, no promises. What do you think, Dean?"

He took a second to think. Dean knew Sammy would pout if he didn't at least try his compromise. They would work the job and then Sam would see what he was talking about. Dean looks like the good guy and she's out of our hair. Nice.

"Ok, Sammy, that sounds reasonable. You ok with that, Bird Lady?" Dean mocked.

Raven leveled another chilly look, "Yes, Dick, that is acceptable."

"In that case, we need to hit the road." Dean called the waitress, "'Scuse me, Sweetheart, can we get the check?"


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Sorry this has been so long in coming. My plot bunny was being a bitch. I know I promised hunting but this thing is writing itself and apparently, I have little control in the matter. I figure the next chapter is gonna be some background/fluff but please bear with me, it's going to be worth it. Promise. This chapter is kinda short but I am loving where this is going so I have a feeling I might be on a roll. Just so you know, this is going to be one of those "epic",aka long, fics so get comfy. XD_

_Please, please review... It's so nice to hear that you are reading/liking or reading/not loving what I am writing. Thank you!_

**_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or the universe. If I did, I wouldn't be here writing about them, I'd be living there, eating pie off of Dean's tummy. :)_**

Raven insisted on stopping at Bobby's on the way to Ohio so she could get her gear. She had taken a plane to find the Winchesters and figured the TSA might frown upon her taking a sniper rifle as a carry on. Dean complained about the delay, just because he could, but really didn't put up much of a fight. He never minded seeing Bobby because he always had liquor and Dean really needed to talk to him one on one about Raven. The elder hunter had given her a glowing recommendation but there was still something gnawing at his gut. The fact that he couldn't put his finger on it was pissing him off to no end.

Aside from the fact that Sam was following her around like a puppy, which was making him nauseous and uneasy at the same time, Raven was secretive, more so than any other hunter he had ever worked with this closely. That wasn't reason enough to distrust her but, every now and then when he was around her, he'd get this weird feeling he couldn't describe. It was almost like a chill but more emotional than physical. Even stranger had been Raven's reaction when he had this sensation. Dean noticed on three separate occasions that she shivered at the same time he experienced it. During the fourth occasion, Sam happened to be in the backseat with Raven. Dean watched them both. She reacted. Sam didn't. He merely put his arm around her to warm her and offered a blanket. Dean couldn't make heads or tails of what the feeling meant but he definitely wanted to run it past Bobby.

* * *

><p>It was almost dawn when they pulled into Singer Salvage. Dean, unconcerned about waking Bobby, knocked loudly on the back door while Raven and Sam unloaded the car. Sam was not the least bit surprised to see the cantankerous hunter open the door wearing a bathrobe with a rifle in his hand. Upon seeing Dean on the threshold, his sour look turned softer. When he looked past Dean and saw Raven walking toward the porch, his grimace became an outright grin. The look Dean shot him an "Are you kidding me?" look but Sam was nonplused. Apparently Raven had that effect on everyone, except his brother.<p>

"Glad to see Dean took his head outa his ass and gave in" said Bobby with a wry grin while giving the petite woman a bear hug, "Dean's like my son but stubborn as the day is long."

Sam replied, noting the pissed look on Dean's face, "He hasn't given in yet. We are working on a 'trial' hunt".

Nodding with understanding, Bobby let everyone into the kitchen and started the coffee maker. While they sat down around the table, he also filled up a tea kettle with water from the tap and proceeded to ask the oddest question Sam had ever heard from him.

"Raven, you drinking Earl Grey or green tea this morning?"

Sam watched Dean lose his balance when he whirled around to give Bobby an incredulous look. He was grateful his brother wasn't drinking anything or he would have choked.

"Since when do you keep tea in the house?" Dean demanded.

"Since the last time Raven stayed here. There's nothing wrong with being a courteous host." The surly reply forced Sam to stifle a snicker that would have made the situation worse.

Raven was beaming and Sam wasn't sure whether it was from Bobby's hospitality or the flabbergasted look on Dean's face, "I would love some green tea, decaf of course. Thank you."

Dean leaned across and whispered in his ear, "Sammy, if he gets a cup and saucer out of the cupboard, I am going to fill him full of rock salt."

That time, he couldn't smother the giggle fast enough and Sam received a nasty look from their host. Still doting on Raven, Bobby placed a container of honey on the table in front of her along with the tea bags and a spoon. Again, Sam could not help but observe how easily she had managed to wrap Bobby around her finger. If this trend held, he was taking bets that the senior Winchester was either inhuman or just plain crazy.

* * *

><p>Raven felt at ease in Bobby's house. There was just no way to describe the peace that settled in her soul just from being there. After the tea and a couple of pieces of toast, she was exhausted. She knew they should get on the road again but her intuition told her that a couple of hours of sleep wasn't going to cost any civilians their lives. She offered to take the couch but Bobby would hear none of that. He had put clean linens on the bed in "her room" and told Dean to take the couch. Raven watched Sam try and smother another giggle at his sibling's reaction. Looking at Sam across the table, reveling in their shared amusement, she made a snap decision.<p>

"Bobby, it would be unfair to ask Dean to sleep on the couch. That's a queen sized bed, right?" Bobby nodded, wearing a perplexed look, "Sam can bunk with me, if that's ok?"

Raven looked for Sam's reaction first and it was the most surprising. He simply nodded and smiled, like she had asked him to open the door for her. No shock, just warmth. Bobby had the same look as before but it had deepened as he was trying to decipher a meaning from her statement. Lastly, Dean was regarding his brother with wagging eyebrows and the facial equivalent of a cat call. His reaction neither surprised nor disgusted her. It was what she was expecting from him because in his world, sharing a bed meant having sex and nothing more. The fact that Dean was incapable of understanding what was developing between herself and Sam made Raven truly pity him. She was about to stand and gather her things from the hallway when she had that "feeling" again, like her blood was made of ice water. She trembled and in her peripheral vision she saw Dean shudder also. He glanced at her as she turned to observe his reaction. Their eyes locked and, for a split second, nothing else mattered.

Raven was mercifully released from the moment by Sam touching her shoulder. Feeling his touch, she jerked like she had touched a door knob on a winter's day. His features twisted in concern and Bobby wanted to know if she was alright. With her insides doing cartwheels, the only response she could come up with was that she was tired. Sam retrieved their bags and escorted her toward the stairs to their room so she could rest. As she was leaving, Raven chanced a peek at Dean. He was inspecting the bottom of his empty coffee cup; His face, a combination of shock and fear. So, Dean was just as rattled as I was, she thought. What in the hell is going on?


	5. Chapter 5

Dean sat at the kitchen table with Bobby, trying to regain his mental balance. In all his years of hunting, he had never experienced anything like that before. He decided that now was as good a time as any to talk with Bobby about Raven.

"Bobby, what do you really know about Raven?"

"We have been over this. She's a good hunter and isn't some sort of monster. What is eating you, kid?"

"I don't know," Dean replied in a thoughtful tone, "There is something about her that is making me nervous. I have no idea what it is but I never ignore my gut, especially when it's yelling at me like this."

Instead of arguing with him, like Sam would have, Bobby became interested, "What's your gut saying?"

"I have no idea. Just that there's something wrong and it has to do with her. Bobby, you noticed when she shivered?"

"Yeah," He replied, sounding concerned, "I hope she's ok."

"Bobby, I shivered at the exact same time," Dean replied, pressing the point home.

"It could have been involuntary. That does happen, you know. Like yawning." He yawned as if to illustrate.

Dean shifted in his seat and tried again, "No, you don't understand. In the car on the way here, that happened three separate times. I would shiver and so would she, at the same time. Sam never did," The words were coming out in a rush, "And just a second ago, when we both shivered and when I looked at her, I swear Bobby, there was a… a… reaction."

He rarely saw Dean scramble for words like this and the look on his face was almost fearful. Winchesters were not cowards so Dean being afraid for any reason was enough for Bobby to take this seriously. "Ok, son, I believe you. What do you think it means?"

"I have no idea. It just makes me very uneasy. There's more to this than we know about. And what about the thing with Sam? He's gone all zombie on me. It's like he's… hypnotized or something."

Bobby sighed and replied carefully, "Dean, I don't think you or Sam are in any immediate danger. I have known this girl for a while now. However, I have learned not to ignore your gut because it is rarely wrong. So, I'll have a look through the books and see what I can find. I'll also talk to some of the other hunters that have worked with her and see what I can dig up. Is that fair?"

"Yeah, that's fair. Thanks Bobby." Dean said gratefully and ran his hand down his face. He was tired but felt better knowing Bobby was taking him seriously.

"Go on up to bed. I'll wake you if I find something." Bobby shooed him out of the kitchen and went to work in the library, still in his bathrobe. Dean climbed the stairs and smiled at the sight of his "father", searching through a stack of books in his pajamas and a trucker cap.

* * *

><p>Raven was under the covers already when Sam came back from the bathroom. She was relaxed because the sheets smelled of fabric softener and she wouldn't be sleeping alone. She hated sleeping alone. The nightmares were so much better when she felt someone beside her. Sam closed the door softly behind him and kicked off his shoes by the door. If he was at all uncomfortable, she didn't see it.<p>

He walked to the side of the bed and looked at her, a sheepish smile on his face. "Do you want me to stay dressed? I don't want to imply that I expect anything to happen here."

She smiled at him, "Oh no Sam, please get comfortable. I simply offered to be polite to your brother," That was an outright lie. The idea of Dean sleeping on the couch actually amused her.

He slid out of his shirt and jeans fairly quickly and slid into the bed. It was chilly in the room so she was sleeping in sweats. She rolled on her side to get a better look at him. His body was a work of art. Sam was sculpted like a Greek god. But, beyond that, he had a handsome face with the most caring eyes she had ever seen. She knew that if he was sharing her bed, he would never do anything inappropriate.

Sam also rolled on his side and gave her a reassuring smile. "Just out of curiosity, why did you offer to share?"

Raven's intent was to make something up about staying warm but before the lie could form on her lips, the truth began to pour out of her mouth.

"I have nightmares, terrible ones. I wake up sweating and screaming," She glanced up through her eyelashes to see the expression of understanding on his face, "It helps if there is someone in the bed with me. I don't seem to react as violently and I sleep better."

He reached across and rubbed her cheek with the back of his hand, "Then you will never sleep alone again." Sam then pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her while laying her head upon his chest.

She could not believe how safe she felt there. It was as if being in Sam's arms would protect her from anything that could harm her, even her own thoughts. Hearing his heart beat under her ear and the slow rise and fall of his chest was enough to lull her instantly to sleep.

* * *

><p>Sam awoke later in the afternoon with Raven still in his arms. She had thrashed around some but after whispering to her, she would settle down and go back to sleep. He admitted to himself that it felt good to have her in his arms. It felt even better to have her need him.<p>

After spending the car ride to Bobby's talking about everything under the sun, he realized that they had so much in common. They liked a lot of the same things and had very similar views on religion, books, politics, even methods of research. She was so easy to talk to. He understood the way she processed information. But, as they were talking, they would wander on to a topic that would hit too close to home and she would pull back, become cautious. Luckily, Sam was a patient man and could wait until she trusted him enough to tell him everything.

While he was lying there thinking, she began sobbing in her sleep. The low wailing coming from what sounded like the center of her soul was tortured and a name escaped her lips, "Kaaaaaayyyyy!" Sam gently squeezed Raven's sleeping form and whispered, "It's ok. I'm here. You are not alone." She moaned and squirmed a little, that's when Sam realized that his chest was wet from her tears. After a minute or two of rubbing her hair, she was peaceful once more. Sam made a mental note to ask her sometime in the future who Kay was and why this person would cause such a reaction.

* * *

><p>Dean came downstairs to find the others sitting at the table, eating sandwiches and talking. The three of them were laughing at something Sam had said. Bobby looked up from his plate, Sam and Raven followed suit. She never met his eyes but she did acknowledge his presence. He noticed that she looked well rested. "That's what a round in the sack with a Winchester will do for you," Dean thought to himself. But as soon as he thought it, there was the shiver again. Raven shivered as well and Bobby was watching carefully. Sam also saw Raven shiver and asked if she was alright.<p>

Raven's answering smile was so reassuring, Dean almost bought it, "Sam, I am fine. I am just a freeze baby. Not real good with cold temperatures."

Her lie was smooth and made his skin crawl. She was obviously accustomed to lying and that didn't sit well with Dean. But, he and Sam were smooth liars too, especially with each other. He couldn't hold that against her.

"Dean," Sam began, "We need to hit the road before anyone else dies in Bedford."

He nodded and gave Bobby a look. "Would you guys mind loading the car while I talk to Bobby?"

Sam replied, "No problem." Sam grabbed their bags and Raven's too. She gave Dean a curious look from the doorway and then followed his brother outside.

Bobby stood and walked to the library. Dean followed. "I'm sorry Dean, but I couldn't find anything about what you described. There was nothing in the lore that connected what you told me to anything supernatural."

"But you did see both of us shiver at the table?" He asked.

Bobby sighed, "Yeah I saw it and it was damn spooky. I talked to the folks she hunted with and none of them saw anything out of the ordinary when she was around. Bill got his tighty whities in a bunch when I hinted that there might be something wrong. Craig said he would have proposed if he was 20 years younger. Nothing out of the ordinary with them."

Dean got that look on his face when he was on to something, "But isn't that something strange, Bobby? Bill, Craig, you and Sam all adore her. You have friggin' British tea in your house for god's sake. So far, I am the only one who hasn't fallen head over heels for her. Hex bags, maybe?"

Bobby shook his head, "Nah, I periodically search the house for them. Haven't found any in years. Yeah, you're right. That is weird. I'll look through some other books and I'll get back to you."

"Let me know something as soon as you find out." He patted Bobby on the shoulder and headed for the door, trying to put this new worry out of his mind. After all, they had a case to work.

_A/N: I warned you guys this was gonna be more fluff but, I absolutely promise that the hunt starts in the next chapter. Thank you to ALL of you who are reading and reviewing. It means so much to me. :D_


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N - Thank you guys SO much for the reviews and alerts. I am flattered beyond words. :D_

**_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or the universe. If I did, I wouldn't be here writing about them, I'd be living there, eating pie off of Dean's tummy. :)_**

Sam and Raven had continued talking during the ride to Ohio. The only time they were quiet was when one of them was sleeping. At one point, Raven had drifted off with her head in Sam's lap. They looked so comfortable together. Since he did the bulk of the driving, Dean decided to give the situation some thought. Was the sensation in his gut really about Raven or was it jealousy because she was becoming so close to Sam? A woman had never come between them before but this was different. The vibe he was getting didn't feel physical. It was something out of the ordinary and maybe that's what was bothering him. It wasn't just the Sam thing. Other men seemed to be drawn to her the same way Sam was. The guy behind the counter at the gas station stared at her so hard Dean thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head. She was hot and all but she wasn't a freakin runway model or anything. Dean just didn't see it.

They stopped at a place just outside the downtown area called the CeeRay motel. To call this place sleazy would have insulted actual places that were sleazy. Even Dean's skin crawled a little. To Raven's credit, she didn't even flinch. She asked Dean to take her to the rental car place they had passed on their way to the motel. She guessed that Dean wasn't going to allow her to use the Impala and she was absolutely right. That woman would never get behind the wheel of his Baby. Sam opted to stay behind and start the research, leaving Dean and Raven alone in the car for the short ride. Neither of them spoke and the silence was awkward. However, he had the radio on and she was softly singing along to "Ramble On" by Led Zeppelin, while staring out the rain streaked window. It was one of his favorite songs and he would have never pegged her as a classic rock fan. He had to admit that gave her a few points in her favor.

She rented a standard sedan and they were back to the motel within half an hour. Sam had already located the library and city hall to start the research routine. Raven offered to do laundry, which surprised Dean but he did not comment further. They split up and went to work, something they could actually agree on.

When the brothers returned, the room was clean and smelled fresh. All their clothes and even the sheets had been laundered. There was what appeared to be a home cooked meal waiting for them. She had even managed to scout out the crime scene and take some pictures. Dean was stunned and although he didn't want to admit it, impressed. They ate, cleaned up the dishes and went to bed, all of them tired. He was not surprised to see that Raven and Sam were sharing a bed. He was even less surprised to wake up and find her lying in Sam's arms.

* * *

><p>Bedford, Ohio was just another small, uninteresting suburb of Cleveland. The only part of the little community that could be considered "attention-grabbing" was its downtown area, which was a strip of buildings running right through the middle of the town that housed everything from a donut shop to a store front that offered "spinning classes", whatever those were. Dean was unimpressed. It looked like a hundred other towns they have been to before. Sam and Raven, on the other hand, were geeking out over the architecture of the church next to the square. Dean tuned them out while humming Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls".<p>

Thinking it might be a good idea to get a feel for the town, Dean decided to park the Impala and walk to the scene of the last attack. He and Sam were in their typical FBI disguises, which consisted of cheap suits and fake badges. Raven had taken a slightly different approach and was acting as agent working with Homeland Security. Her identification was impeccably forged and her dark blue suit was tailored and obviously expensive, even to Dean who had no clue who Donna Karan was. He had to admit, Raven looked good. And her, "I am better than you are" attitude completely worked with the Homeland Security scam.

* * *

><p>Burger World was still closed due to the blood stained sidewalk and crushed compact car in the parking lot. Apparently, the local PD was waiting on the State Police to come and inspect the scene. While<p>

getting a closer look, Raven noticed a squad car stopped in the drive thru lane. A pudgy, middle aged officer climbed out of the car and walked over to them, suspicion written on his red, swollen face.

"Afternoon," said the officer, "Is there something I can help you with?"

Dean spoke first, "I'm Agent Perry. This is Agent Schon, "acknowledging Sam with an inclination of his head while pulling I.D. from his jacket pocket.

"And you are?" asked the officer, looking her up and down, slowly.

She replied quickly before Sam could step in, also pulling out I.D. "I'm Special Agent Wilson, Homeland Security."

The officer looked astounded, "What in God's name does this case have to do with Homeland Security?"

"An unidentified vehicle with the ability to crush a Ford Focus makes this our business," Raven laid the arrogance on extra thick, "Officer…?"

The officer blushed and replied quickly, "Sergeant Bower, Bedford P.D." He shook hands with all of them.

"Sergeant," Raven began, "Can you give us the run down on what you have discovered?"

"Well, to be perfectly honest, we have very little to go on. The victim was a 22 year old college student, Dakota Chandler. She was working the closing shift and as she was leaving, she was run down by… something."

"Something?" Sam asked with an eyebrow raised, "Has your Forensics Department made any determinations on what type of vehicle might have caused that level of damage?"

Bower rubbed his neck, at an obvious loss, "Our department isn't really equipped to handle something like this. We are waiting on the state police to come and look at the evidence further. But you guys are more than welcome to have a look for yourself. Maybe you will come up with something we missed."

Raven noticed that Dean wandered off while she and Sam were asking questions. He was squatting down examining the tire marks left in the grassy island located in the middle of the parking lot. So, she thought, it looked like bringing the camera along was a good idea. She excused herself as Sam was asking for copies of the police report and walked over to Dean. The beep of the camera caused Dean to look up. She turned to look at him while still looking through the view finder and her breath caught in her chest. His profile, illuminated by the climbing sun, was damn near perfect. Her finger acted on its own and snapped a picture of him. Luckily, he didn't notice.

"These aren't tire tracks." He stated rather matter-of-factly.

Raven had come to the same conclusion but was at a loss as to what vehicle they belonged to. "Got any ideas as to what might make imprints like these?"

Dean sighed, stood and brushed his hands off on his dress pants. "No clue. But we can do some digging on the internet. I think we should talk to some of the shop owners around here. Never know what they might have spotted."

Raven simply nodded. She had been thinking the same thing. Considering the prospect that their styles were not that different, she followed him back to where Sam was finishing up with Sergeant Bower.

* * *

><p>They decided to split up to cover more ground. The area was small but the day was beginning to cloud over and none of them wanted to be canvassing in the snow. Sam observed Raven pinching the bridge of her nose or rubbing the back of her neck when she thought he wasn't looking. She was obviously getting a headache. She had slept alright last night. There wasn't too much thrashing around but her pallor disturbed him. He would have suggested taking her back to the room but she was just as stubborn as Dean, maybe even more so.<p>

Sam smiled as he saw Dean come out of the donut shop munching on a chocolate custard filled doughnut. Of course, he had picked the side of the street with the most restaurants on it. Sam shook his head, put on his game face, and walked into the next storefront, an insurance agency.

Well, that was a complete waste of time, Sam mused. All the places he had gone into either closed early or were too far away from the intersection to have seen anything. Then, he looked up at the sign over the next door. The place was called Spirit Apothecary and from the window decorations, it was a store specializing in Pagan worship supplies. Taped to the door was a notice about the monthly absinthe parties hosted at the store. Sam smiled and looked around for Dean so he could say, "Yahtzee!" Instead, Raven happened to be coming out of the barber shop across the street and he waved her over. He pointed at the sign and she smiled in recognition. They both took a deep breath and walked through the door.

The place smelled of patchouli, cinnamon and vanilla. Sam didn't think it was a bad combination. There was some sort of Indian chanting music wrapping around the corners of the tiny space, welcoming and soothing all that entered. Lining the walls behind the counter were dozens of glass jars filled with spices, herbs and teas. The rest of the store was full of books, jewelry, candles and assorted ritual items. Sam loved it instantly. Looking down at Raven, he saw her shoulders relax as well.

A balding, middle aged man came out from the back room, smiled and asked, "May I help you?"

Sam spoke first this time and said, "I'm Agent Schon of the FBI and this is Special Agent Wilson of Homeland Security. And you are?"

"I am Matthew French, the owner of this establishment. It's quite nice to meet you both." The greeting was said with warmth. "Would either of you like some juniper tea with vanilla? I have a fresh pot in the back."

Raven merely shook her head and Sam replied, "No, Mr. French. Thank you for the offer. Do you have time for a few questions?"

He smiled again and said with humor in his voice, "Ask away. The only way to acquire information is to ask questions."

Sam answered the man's warm smile with one of his own, "Were you here on the evening of the 19th when the girl from Burger World was killed?"

"Yes, we were having our monthly absinthe party. The party was just winding down when we heard this awful screeching sound coming from the corner. Some of us ran out to see what was happening, myself included, and saw the girl's car being crushed and well… her being crushed."

Sam saw the regret in the man's eyes, "Did you see what crushed the car?"

Matt French simply shook his head, "No, but there were those among us that swear they felt something. When they tried to tell the police, they looked at us like we were nuts and dismissed any theories we offered because we had been 'drinking'. None of us were intoxicated to the point we wouldn't know if there was an energy at work there."

Raven spoke for the first time and said, "Mr. French, you will find us willing to consider whatever you have to say."

He instantly smiled more broadly and spoke with enthusiasm, "Well, my wife Mellissa, ran to the scene and swears she felt a presence there; an energy that she had felt before but not in that part of the area. She says she has felt that energy before, but nearer to the square. And all of us that ran out to look saw the lights inside the restaurant and in the parking lot flickering. There had to be something there that was not explainable by conventional means. It's the only explanation."

Sam considered his words and gave Raven a knowing look. "Is there anything else that you tried to tell the police about that night that was dismissed?"

Mr. French considered Sam's question, "The only other thing is that we told the police that we heard what sounded like metal on metal scraping. Like something needed to be oiled. It was a terrible sound that I hope to never hear again."

Sam nodded and fished a card out of his pocket. "If you think of anything else you think we should know about, please don't hesitate to give me a call. Thank you for your time, Mr. French."

"Wait a second," the shop owner said suddenly, "Please take this." He came around the counter and handed Raven two small glass bottles. "This one is peppermint oil," He said holding up the first vial. "Mix a few drops of it with this one," holding up the other vial, "and have your friend here rub the combination on your temples right before you sleep and it will help with the headaches. Unfortunately, they are going to get worse before they get better."

The look on her face told Sam volumes. She was astonished. "Mr. French, I appreciate the gesture but I think a hot shower and some pain reliever will work just fine."

"Please," he replied in earnest, "It's important that you feel well so you can continue on the path that has been chosen for you. I do not envy you but you do possess the strength to complete the journey. I am honored to meet you both. Blessed be."

The man then went into the back room without speaking another word. They left the store in stunned silence, neither of them acknowledging what had just taken place.

Dean was waiting on the corner, "Where were you two?" He gave them both a suspicious look.

Whatever response Sam was about to give fell off his lips when his eyes shifted past his brother and saw something he missed when they walked through the area earlier.

Both Dean and Raven followed his gaze. Sitting between the church and the train shed, Sam had been staring at a WWII tank.

_A/N: Just so you guys know, I live in Bedford, Ohio. There is a Burger King aka Burger World in downtown on the corner. There is a store called Spirit Apothecary and Matt and Melissa do own it (Ichanged their last names), and there IS a WWII tank behind the church on the square. I had some of my wedding pictures made there. I couldn't make this up if I wanted to. I might post some pics. XD_

_If you are liking, please review! :)_


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N - Sorry this one is so short but I wanted to get you guys something this weekend. Again, to all of you who are reviewing, alerting and reading. Thank you! Have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend!_

_Oh, and again, FF is not accepting my formatting so everything is jumbled together. Sorry about that but I hope you enjoy!_

That evening, Dean decided to go and get a drink. He had to get out of that room. They had been researching all afternoon with no new leads. Sam was hovering over Raven like an overprotective mother. Apparently, she was having headaches. Dude, she's a doctor, he thought. Let her take care of herself. When he left, Sam was simply sitting across from her on the bed, gently massaging her temples, looking intently into her eyes. She was looking back at him, just as earnestly, almost like they were communicating. Again, Dean felt like he was intruding on a private moment. Besides, he wanted to check in with Bobby to see if he had come up with anything concerning the "shivers".

Dean pulled out his cell and dialed. "Hey Bobby. Got any new information?"

"Nothin' yet." Bobby replied with exasperation in his voice, "I haven't found anything referring to shivers, much less about two people doing it at the same time. But I have a few more sources to check."

"Thanks for looking. Let me know if you find anything."

"Will do. How's the job goin'?" Bobby asked.

Dean sighed and replied, "Well, we found out what ran the girl over, a World War Two tank. We just don't know who is possessing it or why."

"A tank? That a new one. Since it's from that era, would start with WWII vets buried in the area."

"We have an appointment with the director of the Bedford Historical Society in the morning. Sam and I figured it was the best place to start." Dean's reply was terse.

Bobby noticed that Dean did not include Raven in the conversation. "How are things working out with Raven?"

"Fine." He had no desire to talk about her right now.

Bobby knew that tone and decided it wasn't the best time to ask if he had given her a chance or not. His guess was no considering Dean's tone. Too bad, Bobby thought. They would have made one hell of a team.

Dean interrupted Bobby's thought, "Catch you later, Bobby. I need a drink." He hung up, pulling the Impala into the parking lot of a bar he had seen while they were scouting the town. Sirna's looked like the kind of place he could drink in peace.

Just as he was shutting the car door, Dean heard the most awful noise coming from his left. Sensing trouble, he quickly opened the trunk of the car and pulled out his double barreled shotgun, checked it for salt rounds and ran toward the far end of the parking lot. He spotted a man there, staggering along toward the sidewalk. Dean wasn't sure if the man was the intended target but he couldn't take chance. He yelled at the man to stop where he was but the man couldn't hear him over the screeching of the tank, which Dean could not see. The drunk man finally turned toward the sound and was promptly flattened, but in slow motion. The squishing and crunching took several seconds and right as Dean reached him, the man's head exploded like a ripe melon. The sound disappeared immediately, leaving the parking lot eerily quiet.

* * *

><p>Sam lay watching Raven, making sure she was completely asleep. He was currently holding her and willing the nightmares to stay away, just for tonight. Sam was worried, really worried. He had never seen a migraine headache this intense. He had wanted to take her to the hospital but she refused and wrote a prescription for him to go and fill. That had not worked. Her pain was serious but after the peppermint oil treatment Mr. French had suggested, she had relaxed and drifted off. Seeing her in that much pain was like driving a hot poker into his heart. For no reason Sam could understand, Raven had become extremely important to him. Under the current circumstances, there was neither time nor the opportunity to examine the relationship. He just had to go with it. Raven twitched in his arms and Sam instinctively drew his arms around her tighter. There was one thing Sam knew, after this job was over, he wasn't going to let her go. No matter what Dean had to say about it.<p>

* * *

><p>Dean never got his drink. By the time he had finished up with the local cops, Sirna's was closed. There wasn't a bar open he could find within a reasonable distance. So he decided to go back to the motel and get some sleep.<p>

He opened the door to find Raven in the same place she had been last night, in Sam's arms. She twitched and moaned in her sleep, a look of pain crossing her face. Sam stirred, whispered in her ear and she settled down. Wow, Dean thought, I used to do that for him when he was little. He smiled at the memory. Sam opened his eyes and looked at Dean. He held his finger to his lips, asking for him to be quiet as he slid out of the bed, being careful not to wake her.

"What's up?" Sam asked looking concerned, "Raven has been in a lot of pain tonight and I don't want to wake her."

"She's in pain? What's wrong with her?"

"Migraine headache, a really bad one. I wanted to take her to the hospital but she refused. I finally got her to sleep after you left. Dean I am really worried. At one point, she was writhing in agony. That stuff Mr. French gave us helped."

Dean couldn't help but see the pain in Sam's eyes. He truly cared for Raven and although Dean has very little use for her, he wasn't going to hurt his brother. "You think she's gonna be ok?"

Sam looked surprised at the concern he was showing but said nothing, "Hopefully she will. I guess a good night's sleep will help. So, what's going on with you? You look like hell."

"The tank struck again. This time it was right in front of me."

Sam went from concerned to alarmed instantly, "Dean, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good. But the poor drunk that was walking home wasn't so lucky. He's pretty much pudding now and we still have no leads. I did get pictures of the body and the tracks. Maybe Raven can take a look when she wakes up." Dean glanced at the bed where she was sleeping peacefully. He may dislike her but he didn't hate her or want her to be in pain.

"Go back to bed , Sam. We'll pay a visit to the Historical Society in the morning and see what answers we can come up with."

Early that morning, Dean heard an awful moan come from Sam's bed. He rolled over to find Raven there, alone, thrashing and wailing, calling out a name, Kay. Dean quickly went to her side and rubbed her hair, as he had seen Sam do, whispering in her ear that everything was ok. She responded instantly, going quiet and relaxing. Dean continued to soothe her until her breathing returned to normal. Standing and returning to his own bed, he crawled under the covers. Looking at her for a few minutes, he made sure she was settled before closing his own eyes. Right before he went under, he sighed and felt full of peace. The feeling was warm and he grabbed on to it, holding it tight as the world went dark.

Across the room, Raven smiled in her sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Sam stepped out of the shower, shook his long hair and wrapped a towel around his trim waist. He had woken early and decided to get his shower out of the way so he could get coffee for everyone. The warm water had relaxed him and he was optimistic that Raven was going to be felling better today. Sam peeked out the bathroom door to check on her and was shocked to see Dean, kneeling by her bedside, comforting her as he had seen Sam do. He couldn't hear what his brother was saying to her but he could see the gentle way Dean was stroking her hair and the look of worry written on his face. Sam loved that Dean acted as though he didn't like her but when push came to shove; he was going to make sure she was ok.

Sam watched them for a few minutes. Dean eventually went back to bed once Raven had calmed down. Turning toward the mirror and shutting the door, Sam caught the sound of Dean sighing with contentment. He turned back just in time to see a smile play across Raven's lips as she slept.

Raven was sitting inside a circle of papers strewn all over the floor of the motel room. She had passed on going to the Historical Society, still weak from yesterday's illness, opting to stay behind and sort through all the research and start the flow chart. This one was going to be pretty cut and dry as there wasn't much to go on. None of them had managed to find a connection between the two victims, if there was one, or to figure out what spirit was possessing the tank or why.

She rolled her neck to try and loosen the tension that was growing in her shoulders. Innocent people were dying and they had so little to work with. She hated feeling helpless. It was one of the reasons she had become a doctor in the first place. Thinking that if she could save people's lives, that feeling of helplessness would go away. She soon realized that saving lives was not the answer. Even though she could save some children from death, there were others that she could not save, that no one could. And the faces of their parents would haunt her, forcing her to work harder, learn more. Until, that one evening when everything changed…

"No," Raven whispered aloud. She would not think about that. It was bad enough that her subconscious could not be contained while she slept. Her waking mind was something she could control and she was going to focus on the task at hand, saving the residents of Bedford from the ghost tank.

Raven was posting the last of the photos on the wall when Sam and Dean returned. Sam smiled at her, tilting his head slightly. She was warmed from the inside out. He was so wonderful to be with and she found herself missing him when he wasn't around.

Dean also smiled at her, which caught her off guard. Since when did Dean smile when she was around? But his eyes were warm and it seemed genuine. Raven realized looking into his eyes was a mistake, one second too late. The shiver started at the top of her head and went all the way to the soles of her feet. The sensation was violent enough that her knees almost gave out.

Sam was at her side in an instant; worried that she was getting another headache, "Raven! You ok?" He helped her to the couch, unaware that his brother was having the exact same reaction. She saw Dean lean against the wall and ride out the wave of dizziness. They both recovered quickly.

"Sam, I'm fine. Honestly. Maybe I was pushing too hard. Time for a break." She smiled quickly to cover her concern. She glanced at Dean and saw the look on his face. She needed to get rid of Sam for a few minutes. "Would you do me a favor? Would you go and get me some orange juice?"

Sam didn't hesitate, "I'll be right back." He left the room without realizing that Raven and Dean were alone.

Dean crossed the room and finally spoke, "We need to talk."

I'm sorry this one was so short. I had intended for it to be much longer but my plot bunny held a carrot to my throat and forced me to leave it here. There will be more coming very soon.


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: Sorry this took so long. My plot bunny ran away and I had to call animal control. It was a nightmare. Now he's back, safe and sound and locked in a closet so... away we go!_

**_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or the universe. If I did, I wouldn't be here writing about them, I'd be living there, eating pie off of Dean's tummy. :)_**

* * *

><p>Dean crossed the room and finally spoke, "We need to talk."<p>

He knew this conversation had been coming for days. He wanted answers but he could tell from the look on her face that she was just as confused as he was.

"What is going on, Raven?" Dean asked sternly but calmly. Losing it would only cause her to get defensive.

"Dean, I swear, I have no idea." Normally haughty and icy, her indigo eyes were confused even scared. He believed that she was telling the truth. At this point, she had no reason to lie. Neither of them was getting physically hurt due to the shivers but it was damned annoying.

"When did these shivers start for you?"

"They started in the back seat of the Impala, on the way to Bobby's. I didn't realize you were experiencing it too until that night at the kitchen table. Dean, I don't know what's going on or why it's happening." Her expression was pleading. It was obvious that she was rattled. Normally she walked around with a chip on her shoulder. He was unsure how to react.

Dean sighed, "I believe you, Raven. And although we aren't causing each other any harm, these chills are getting stronger. I am sure you have noticed that."

She nodded, "Yes, I have. This past one was particularly strong for me. The only explanation is that there must some connection between us."

"Yeah, I agree with that. Problem is… what do we do about it?" He kept his poker face in place. The idea of there being any sort of "connection" with her was unsettling but there was no denying it.

Raven's shoulders slumped. He actually felt some pity for her. She was dealing with a lot at once. "I have no idea what to do. It's not like it's voluntary. I do get the feeling that it's all connected; my headaches, what's going on with Sam, the connection with you. It's all tied together. I know that in my gut."

Dean straightened at the mention of his brother. "What about Sam?"

Raven looked at him, the veil of arrogance completely down, "Dean, the bond that Sam and I share can't be normal. I feel like I have known Sam all my life, like he's a part of me." She trailed off, becoming quiet and introspective, "My intentions are pure. I swear that on my family's lives. I don't want to cause any harm to Sam… or to you."

As much as Dean wanted to believe otherwise, his gut told him she was sincere. He was a long way from trusting her completely but at least he was going to sleep a little better. "So now what? How do we figure this out?"

Dean saw the proverbial wheels begin to turn in her head. "It might be a good idea for us to keep a journal. Write down when these shivers occur and what was going on at the time. Then we can compare notes and see if there are any similarities."

"Sounds like a plan," Dean replied.

Sam took that opportune moment to return with orange juice. He spotted Dean on the couch with Raven and his face darkened. "Raven, is everything ok here?"

Her answering look was warm and open, "Yes Sam, everything is fine. Dean was just keeping an eye on me."

They now shared a common mystery and in that moment, Dean knew that they might never be friends, but that things weren't going to be so strained from now on.

* * *

><p>Sam and Dean filled Raven in on what transpired at the Historical Society. They had met with the director, Janet Caldwell, and she had given them a run down on the history of the tank as well as a list of the WWII vets from Bedford. She had also given them a list of those vets who were buried in or near Bedford as well. The boys went to the courthouse to start looking at birth records of the victims. Raven went to work on the history of the tank.<p>

Raven read over the transcription of the sign that was posted with the tank:

At the close of WWII Bedford resident and community leader, Retired General Ludwig Conelly arranged for the Township of Bedford to receive this M5A1 Stuart Light Tank. The tank was stateside after the war and did not see combat abroad. It is one of only a few remaining tanks of this type.

_The tank was powered by twin V8 Cadillac engines with Hydramatic transmissions. The M5A1 and its predecessors, including the M3 series, were the lightest of the tanks. During the Lend Lease era, many were sent to Britain and a few to China. They saw action in the North African Desert where the British nicknamed it the "Honey". They worked well in the Pacific islands. Both the M3s and the M5s were modified to fit requirements for battle. 6,810 M5s were produced._

_For many years, the tank sat on Bedford Public Square; it was later moved to a city park on Taft Avenue. A third move resulted in it being stored in the City service yard. Dick Squire, director of the Bedford Historical Society 1959 – 2002, suggested that the tank be displayed between the 1874 Town Hall Museum and the 1892 Old Church- Community Building. This is where the tank stands guard today._

_In 2004, VFW French-Bartlett Post 1082 with Mr. T Painting & Sandblasting and Budget Signs undertook exterior restoration and installation of the sign. It is now painted in its original color._

She was baffled. The tank had never seen any action. So the spirit's grievance couldn't be related to the tank's war record. That was peculiar. If she were a betting woman, that's what she would have went with. So how was the spirit controlling the tank? And why was it invisible?

Seeing that researching the history of the tank was a dead end, Raven started working through the list of vets buried in the area. She was diligently working through the BMV records when her cell phone rang.

"Hey Sam," She answered, "What do you need?"

"Raven, I think we have something. The vics were both related to immigrants. George Herman, the man killed at Sirna's, his parents were German immigrants. And Dakota Chandler, the Burger World vic, was the granddaughter of a Japanese immigrant. Looks like the ghost is targeting people of 'enemy' ancestry. We need to talk to families of the vets to see who held a grudge."

Raven smiled, "Sounds like a plan. I'm almost done with the list of addresses of family members. We can split the list up and get to work."

"We'll be back shortly." Sam said and hung up. Raven stood and stretched to get the kinks out of her tired muscles. The aches were worth the progress they had made on the case. Research was more gratifying than worrying about her own situation anyway.

As she was about to sit back down, a violent tremble swept through her body. Her knees gave way and if there had not been a chair under her, she would have fallen. Wow, she thought, that was forceful. Trying desperately to blink the spots out of her eyes, she reached for the notebook on the table. With the pen in her hand, she noted the date, time, what she had been doing and what she had been thinking. Hopefully, Dean had also made notes so they could compare when he returned.

* * *

><p>After seeing the small scratch on the passenger's side quarter panel, Sam thought Dean was going to have a stroke. The choice language streaming from Dean's mouth would have caused a sailor to blush. Sam had to remind his unbelievably pissed off sibling that they were not only impersonating law enforcement officials but they were also within ear shot of about a dozen school children. Dean stopped cursing and shivered violently and went to his knees.<p>

"Dean, you ok?" Sam knelt beside his brother, aware that Dean was dizzy and weak.

"Yeah, Sammy. I'm ok." Dean exhaled and stood. He was a little wobbly but otherwise seemed alright.

As Dean walked to the driver's side of the Impala, Sam asked, "You want me to drive?"

Dean just smiled and said, "No way. I'm cool." Sam believed him. Other than a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, Dean was his usual self.

Sam was getting into the front seat when a thought stopped him dead in his tracks. "Wait just a damn minute, Dean. You just shivered the same way Raven does. Is there something you two aren't telling me?"

_A/N - Thank you all SO much for the reviews, follows, faves and reads. I am so grooving on the fact that you guys love this. I love writing it. Your encouragement is like twinkes and chocolate milk... aww crap, now I have to go to the store... ;)_


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N - You guys are the BEST! Thank you for lavishing attention on my simple story. I am having such fun creating this. Let me know what you are thinking! Read and Review! :D_

**_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or the universe. If I did, I wouldn't be here writing about them, I'd be living there, eating pie off of Dean's tummy. :)_**

Sam was getting into the front seat when a thought stopped him dead in his tracks. "Wait just a damn minute, Dean. You just shivered the same way Raven does. Is there something you two aren't telling me?

Knowing the jig was up, Dean signed and faced Sam, "You're right. Raven and I are having the same chills… at the same time." Sam's eyebrow rose during his second admission. "We both knew it was happening but were in denial, I guess. I talked to her yesterday about it."

Sam, obviously upset, spoke through his teeth, "Why would you have kept that from me? I have been worried sick about her and now I have to worry about you too? Did it ever occur to you two that your chills and this case could be related? Let's get back to the motel. I want to talk about this between the three of us."

"Pick your battles, Dean. Pick your battles." He was mumbling under his breath. He just loved getting chewed out by his little brother. At least he wasn't alone this time. Raven was on the hook too.

* * *

><p>Sam spent the short ride back to the motel pondering the possibilities of why these chills were happening. He was livid with them both, but especially Raven. He'd spent a sleepless night concerned about her health only to find out that she was sharing the chills with his brother. Trying to ignore the stab of jealousy that surged through his veins, Sam diverted his attention by working on a solution that would sever the connection between them.<p>

When he opened the door to the motel room, the sight that awaited him dispelled any remaining anger Sam had left. Raven was lying on the bed with an ice pack on her forehead. Her complexion was the color of concrete. The migraine had returned. It only took Sam a second to realize that the shivers and the headaches had to be related. He crossed the room and sat down beside her, careful not to shake the bed. She held up a hand to acknowledge his presence but did not speak. He glanced back at Dean and was surprised to see him in action. He already had the peppermint oil remedy in his hand, stretching his arm out to hand it to Sam.

"Get to it, Sammy. She needs to start pulling her weight on this job if she wants to hunt with us." Dean's whispered words were rough but his eyes were clouded with concern. He might not like her but he didn't want to see her in pain anymore than Sam did.

Sam spoke softly, "Raven, sweetheart, let's rub some of the oil on your temples. We've got work to do." He knew mentioning the job would get her to respond. When it came to the job, she was the same as Dean. Nothing mattered more.

She tried gingerly removing the ice pack but the motion set off the nausea that had rendered her motionless. Moving quickly, Dean got the trash can under her head in time to catch that morning's orange juice. To his credit, Sam observed that Dean didn't flinch. Sam also noticed that Dean had dropped the usual bravado where Raven was concerned. He had moved his hand to stroke her hair but thought better it, not wanting to cause her any more discomfort.

After the dry heaves had stopped, she laid her head down on the edge of the bed nearest to Dean. He did not speak but simply reached his hand out to Sam, motioning for the remedy he was holding. Astonished, Sam handed it to him without a word. Dean opened the vial, dabbed some oil on his fingers and began rubbing her temples, as he had seen Sam do the day before. The accompanying stab of jealousy was almost more than Sam could bear but he didn't want to disturb Raven. So, he sat there, watching, wanting Dean's fingers to be his own.

"This is insane," Sam thought, "She doesn't belong to me or anything." He was an accomplished liar, especially when lying to himself but the truth was just too close to the surface this time. He was falling for Raven, hard and fast. And his brother had some special connection to her. This wasn't going to end well.

* * *

><p>Raven hadn't opened her eyes since she heard Sam open the door to the motel room. The small amount of light that filtered through the cheap curtains had been unbearable. The magnitude of pain she had been in rendered her immobile. Even breathing had caused a stabbing throb all throughout her skull. The violent retching had almost caused her to lose consciousness and she had been disappointed when Sam's skillful fingers had brought her back from the brink. From the moment she had felt the cool sensation of the oil on her temples, the pain started to recede. It seemed like forever that he had massaged her aching head and it was simply glorious. Once the nausea was under control, she rolled on to her back to give Sam better leverage. The rhythm and pressure of his strokes never faltered. Sam was a genius. She sighed when his fingers left her temples and started working on the tense muscles in her neck. The heat from his hands was so relaxing. Raven hadn't remembered Sam being so thorough but complaining was the furthest thing from her mind. By the time Sam's lovely hands had finished with her neck and started working on the muscles along her jaw, the throb was down to a dull ache that could be managed quite handily by a few aspirin.<p>

She felt it was safe to open her eyes and thank Sam for his exceptional care. Tentatively blinking, Raven allowed her vision to return to normal before focusing on the face hovering above her. She was utterly stunned to see a pair of vibrant green eyes, full of unease, returning her gaze. Yet again, she stopped breathing. Dean raised his hand from beneath her neck and brushed it along her temple, leaving fire in its wake. She shivered again but this time, it was different. The shiver wasn't violent. It was tantalizing; like electricity running all through her body and gathering in the pit of her stomach. Dean caught the chill as well and his gaze changed from concern to hunger in an instant. He let his finger trace the outline of her jaw and she quivered again, as did he. Raven's body finally forced her to take a breath. Her jumbled thoughts cleared and her defenses slammed into place. She hastily flipped off the mattress, getting as much distance between herself and Dean as possible.

"What are you doing? I don't remember giving you permission to touch me." Her cheeks were flushed.

Sam, who had not seen what had transpired, thought she was angry, "Raven, it's ok. I didn't want to move you and Dean was closest." His expression was repentant. "Are you feeling better, at least?"

"Yes I am, Sam. It's almost gone now," Her gaze returned to Dean but she was careful not to meet his eyes. "Thank you, Dean," she said stiffly. "Excuse me, I'd like to brush my teeth." Brushing past them both, she retreated to the sanctuary of the bathroom.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks were still blazing and the trail of Dean's touch lingered along her jaw. Her indigo eyes shone with heat and were darkened by bewilderment. Somewhere in the bottom of her gut she just knew this wasn't going to end well.


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: Again, thank you for the reviews, alerts and faves. and to Amy90 - I can't send you a PM to thank you for the reviews so I will tell you here. You and the others that take the time to review make this a joy to do for you. :)_

_**_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or the universe. If I did, I wouldn't be here writing about them, I'd be living there, eating pie off of Dean's tummy. :)_**  
><em>

Dean stood rooted to the dingy carpet of the motel room. What in the hell just happened? All it took was looking into her eyes. That simple gesture had turned his insides to marshmallow and rocked him to his core. How could he have let himself get caught up like that? Sam's feelings for Raven were obvious and he had just touched her face like a lover. If she hadn't moved when she did, he would have kissed her. His brother was standing next to him with nothing but anxiety written on his face. Dean felt like scum and decided to get out of the room before his guilt gave him away.

He grabbed some of the addresses that Raven had gathered and headed for the door. "I am going to get some work done, Sammy. When she comes out of there, see if she's up to some detective work. We've gotta get this case wrapped up before someone else dies. I'll check in later."

With the keys to his beloved car in one hand and a list of leads in the other, Dean strode to the Impala, sealing off any feelings that had surfaced for the beautiful hunter.

* * *

><p>Sam was sitting on the edge of the bed when Raven came out of the bathroom. Her color had returned and her eyes were devoid of any pain. He knew it wasn't the right time but he needed to talk to her about the shivers. She sat next to him with an inquisitive look on her lovely face.<p>

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better, Sam. That oil treatment worked like a charm." Her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

He inhaled deeply and began, "Raven, Dean got a chill in front of me today. The exact same kind you seem to be having. When I confronted him, he admitted that you both knew about it. What's going on?"

She looked at her bare feet. "Sam, I honestly have no idea. Dean knew that we were having these chills before I did. When he came to me this morning, we both agreed that there was a connection between us and that we should look into it, but that's as far as we got. Honestly, I intended to tell you about the conversation but I didn't get a chance."

"That's not what I am upset about. What's bothering me is that you didn't tell me about this when you realized it was happening. Did it ever occur to you that these shivers could be connected to the case?"

Raven looked up into his eyes, worry etched into her features, "Yes, I had thought of that and no, they are not connected. The chills started before we arrived here, remember?"

Sam conceited that point to her. What he really wanted to do was tell her how he felt but this wasn't the time or the place. "I do remember. Please, if you are going to work with us, you can't keep something like that hidden. If I have learned anything from working with my brother it's this, keeping secrets, for whatever reason, only leads to distrust."

"Ok, Sam, I won't keep something like that from you again. I promise." She gave him a half smile and leaned her head on his shoulder. Sam gave an involuntary sigh of contentment. Her touch made him feel so peaceful. He kissed her on top of her head.

As she sat up straight, her expression was radiant and he couldn't help but grin at her, "You ready to get back to work? We have some family members to visit."

"Ready as I will ever be. Is Dean waiting in the car for us?"

Sam walked to the table and picked up the rest of the list of addresses, "Dean went ahead with part of the list. I figured you and I could split up the rest of it and cover more ground that way. You think you would be ok by yourself?"

Raven gave him a cool look, "I can do my job, Sam. I'm not an invalid." She walked toward the door, grabbing her coat and keys on the way, "Are you coming or not?"

Sam grinned and shook his head. This woman is tenacious, he thought. Sometimes she reminded him so much of Dean.

* * *

><p>He took the steps of the white washed house two at a time. He had struck out at the first three addresses on his part of the list and was getting frustrated. Innocent civilians were dying on his watch and that was something he would not tolerate. His job was to save people and that's exactly what he was going to do. To hell with all this emo crap going on with Raven and Sam. Nothing was more important than the job.<p>

Knocking on the screen door, Dean's game face was squarely in tact when the fragile looking woman answered. She was no more than five feet four inches on a good day and looked like a pale little prune. The white tuft of hair on her head was styled neatly and her clothing, although old, was clean and wrinkle free. She would have passed for everyone's grandmother had it not been for the brown eyes that looked him up and down, full of clever mischief. Dean was going to have to be careful with this one.

"May I help you, young man?"

"Well, Ma'am," Dean began, using his best southern accent, "my name is Robert Plant and I am a book author from Columbus. I wanted to ask you a few questions about William Cavanaugh."

The elderly woman cocked her head and asked, "You share the same name as the lead singer of Led Zeppelin. May I see some identification?"

He was completely taken aback that she would know who Robert Plant was. Luckily, he was carrying the fake Ohio license with Plant's name. She cracked the screen door and took the ID from his hand. She pulled her reading glasses from her shirt pocket and gave the fake license a good once over. Satisfied that he was telling the truth, she opened the door and permitted him inside.

The interior of the home was immaculate. Dean thought to himself that she was worse than Raven about cleaning. Shaking off the thought, he allowed her to lead him into what appeared to be the parlor. She offered him a seat on the sofa as well as some tea. He politely refused and she settled in next to him.

"Why would you want to know about my father, Mr. Plant?" Her expression was neutral but Dean could see a sharp intellect hidden in her gaze.

"Well, Ms…" Dean began.

"Morgan, my name is Elizabeth Morgan."

"Ms. Morgan, was your father a veteran of World War Two?" Dean asked, taking a pad and pen out of his pocket to look more official.

"Please, call me Lizzie, and yes he was. He was killed in action when I was just a baby and never held me. That's his picture there on the mantle."

He glanced at the black and white photo of the young soldier. The man in the photo shared his observant eyes with the woman in from of him. "Do you have any information concerning the circumstances surrounding his death?"

She looked at the picture and said sadly, "My father was shot by a German soldier in North Africa, November 22, 1942. His company was ambushed and he never had a chance. The only reason we have any information at all is because his body was returned here, to Bedford. He is buried in the Bedford Cemetery with his three brothers, who were also killed in the war."

Dean's attention was captured, "There were four sons killed in the same war?"

"Yes," she replied, "My father was the third son and the last one that died. They were killed within months of each other. From what my mother told me, my grandfather was devastated."

His gut told him he was on to something. "I can only imagine how upset he was," He tried the empathy thing that he'd seen Sam use dozens of times, "Do you know if he ever mentioned being angry enough to want revenge?"

Watching her eyes go from wistful to astute, he knew she suspected something. "Why Mr. Plant, you think my grandfather has something to do with the suspicious deaths in town, don't you?"

Dean stammered and she tried to hold in a giggle but was unsuccessful. When he looked up from his notebook, she was outright smiling at him and he knew he had been played. "You know the truth, don't you?"

Her answering smile held as many questions as answers and, "Yes," was her simple reply. "A man visited my mother and me when I was only 13 years old and assisted us by ridding our home of a nasty spirit. I do believe you are called 'hunters' now?"

Dean just shook his head and said, "Well I'll be damned."

"Watch your language, young man," She scolded. "Now, how about telling me your real name since I know you don't sing for Led Zeppelin."

He chuckled, "I'm Dean Winchester, ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise, Dean. And that name suits you so much better. So you think my grandfather might be possessing the tank in the square?"

He was again amazed at the astuteness of the woman. "Well, we aren't sure. We are tracking down as many family members of veterans of the war as we can. We think it's a good place to start."

"We?" she asked.

"My brother, myself and another hunter are in town, trying to solve this case before anyone else gets hurt."

"I can tell you this, Dean. My grandfather's spirit has been restless for years. My mother swears that she saw him here in the house many times. I have seen him myself. My mother would tell me stories about him. He had to be placed in a mental hospital after my father's death. He was insane with grief and rage. She told me that he would shout at anyone who would listen that the 'Japs and Krauts' needed to pay for what happened to his sons. So, it would be a reasonable guess that he is the one responsible."

"Lizzie," Dean began, leaning towards her, "are you aware what we are going to have to do to get rid of your grandfather's spirit?"

She nodded at him, "I believe you have to salt and burn his bones. Is that right?"

He smiled at her, "Yes ma'am. That's what we have to do. He's buried here in Bedford, right?"

Again she nodded, "He's buried with his children. If you would like, I can show you where the plot is."

"No ma'am. That's not necessary. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you were to get hurt. As a matter of fact, it might not be a bad idea to lay down salt lines on all your doors and windows. If your grandfather's spirit finds out you told us about him, you could be in danger."

She grinned at him again, pulling back the curtain of the window next to her, "Way ahead of you Dean." He saw the rock salt lining the sill and turned to see the broken salt line next to the door.

Dean winked at her and said sweetly, "Lizzie, you are just full of surprises."

_A/N: This hunt is coming to a close but there are more planned as well as the telling of Raven's story. So, for those of you who are in this for the long haul, you will not be disappointed. :)_


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: I am SO sorry this took so long. I have a hard time describing action so this one took me a little longer. Again, thank you all for the reviews, alerts and favs. I would have given up on this if it hadn't been for you. I hope you enjoy! _

__**_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or the universe. If I did, I wouldn't be here writing about them, I'd be living there, eating pie off of Dean's tummy. :)_**_  
><em>

As Dean said goodbye to Lizzie, he dug through his pocket and dialed his cell phone. Sammy answered on the first ring, "Yeah, Dean."

"Yahtzee!"

"You got something?" Sam asked in a rush.

"We have our spirit, Sammy. Where are you two?"

Sam sighed, "We were just parking at the first address on our list. We'll head back to the motel."

"Meet you there." Dean was flying high. They had finally caught a break in the case. As he was crossing the street toward the Impala, he briefly considered doing a "Dukes of Hazzard" across her hood but reconsidered. The rivets in his jeans could scuff her paint. He already had one scratch to fix.

Raven was turning into the motel parking lot when she felt the Impala rumbling behind her. Glancing in the rear view mirror, she still couldn't get over what a beautiful machine it was. Dean took really good care of the classic and she deserved all the attention he lavished. As Raven was pondering how hard it had to have been to rebuild from the ground up, her sensitive ears detected a slight flutter in the engine's idle. When she opened the car door, the sound was even more distinct.

Dean had shut off the motor and was climbing out when she said without thinking, "Your mixture is too rich."

"Excuse me," he replied with a perplexed look.

Realizing she was thinking out loud, she decided to just go with it, "Your carburetor… the fuel to air mixture is too rich. You don't hear the 'flutter' when she is idling?"

Sam had gotten out of the rental car and was staring at her with his jaw hanging open. Dean recovered from his amazement quickly, "Yeah, I heard it. I'll tune the carb when we are done with the case. What I want to know is how you heard that?"

She shrugged, started walking toward the room and said over her shoulder, "I have ears. Are you going to fill us in on the spirit or not?" A smirk played across her lips when she saw in the reflection of the motel room window, the boys just standing there, stunned.

* * *

><p>"Lizzie drew me a map of the graveyard, pointing right to where Walter Cavanaugh is buried. I scoped the place out on my way back. His plot is toward the back which is a lucky break; the cemetery is on Broadway so there's not a whole lot of privacy." Dean was pacing back and forth, excited that they were about to wrap this one up. Sam had mixed emotions. Of course he didn't want anyone else to die but, if Dean pitched a fit, he might have to say goodbye to Raven. And the thought of that nearly ripped him in half.<p>

Raven looked over at him; her eyes were quiet and sad. Almost like she could sense what he was thinking.

"Are you one hundred percent positive that Cavanaugh is our man?" Raven asked.

Dean didn't look thrilled at being questioned, "No, I'm not but call it a hunch. And at this stage of the game, we don't have much else to go on." She didn't look satisfied with his answer but didn't press the point.

"Dean we have one slight problem. We can't go digging up that grave in broad daylight. We are going to have to wait until the middle of the night. What if he attacks someone else while we are waiting?" Just like Dean, his gut was telling him that something was going to go down tonight.

Dean grinned at his brother in triumph, "Way ahead of you, Sammy. I called Bobby on my way back here and he is working on it. He was thinking that some sort of revelation spell might do the trick."

Sam glanced at Raven and found her attention wasn't in the room. She was scribbling furiously on a legal pad only slowing to move to the next line. He was mesmerized. Her concentration was so intense Sam wondered if she even knew they were there. Looking away from Raven, Sam saw Dean wander to the fridge and get a beer. When he looked back, she was done and had her cell phone in her hand.

"Hey Bobby," she said with a smile in her voice, "I think I am on to something that will reveal the tank but I wanted to run it by you first." She then proceeded to read multiple sentences in Latin. Sam understood enough to gather it was a revelation ritual and that it was phrased perfectly. "Excellent, thanks Bobby. Don't worry, I am always careful." She read through the words once again and then spoke quietly, "Boys, I think we are in business."

* * *

><p>It was decided that they would stake out the tank until it was time to go to the cemetery. That way, if Walter got frisky, they could make the tank appear and salt it before it hurt anyone. The waiting was tedious. Somehow knowing she needed some space, Sam was next to Dean she sat in the back seat alone. She had only been with the Winchesters for a few days but it felt like months. So much had already happened and it was only going to get worse. The task she was meant to do was going to be difficult enough without emotions complicating matters.<p>

Not that anyone could tell right now, but Raven was usually an emotionally reserved person. She had cried more in the last few days than she had in years. Being a pediatric surgeon, she had learned to grow a skin over her feelings. Otherwise, she would be unable to be objective and that was required to make the kinds of decisions required to treat the patients. But that didn't mean she wasn't human. She took the work home, when she went home, more often than not. Strangely enough, being a hunter was less stressful. Killing the monster, saving the civilian, all of it generally tied itself up into a neat package. When there was someone killed on her watch, she made damn sure the evil creature in question paid the price. Hunting was a much more rewarding way of saving lives.

She stared out the frosty window; her breath causing condensation on the window. A smile played at the corners of the mouth. How loud would Dean scream if traced a flower in the moisture there?

Dean finally broke the silence, "Raven, can I ask you something?"

"Yes, Dean, you _may_ ask me a question," she heard Sam snort but Dean didn't catch her attempt to correct his grammar.

"Where did you get that revelation spell?" He looked at her through the rear view mirror.

"I memorized it from an episode of Charmed," she replied in a perfect dead pan delivery. His answering look was enough to make Sam giggle. "I wrote it."

Sam stopped giggling instantly, "You wrote that? That's an excellent skill to have." He sounded impressed. Raven caught Dean's glance in the mirror, recognizing the astonishment in his eyes. Maybe, just maybe, she was starting to earn his respect.

* * *

><p>Dean dozed while waiting for the time to pass. It's not like the sound of the tank starting up wouldn't wake him. It was kinda hard to miss. As the moment came closer, he found it harder to sleep, so he let his brain off its leash and let it wander around for a bit. He admitted to himself that he was sincerely astounded by the fact that Raven had written that spell. He'd never heard of a hunter actually crafting something like that. She's gonna be handy to have around, he thought. That was when he realized that his mind was already made up. He was going to let Raven stay with them. Dean hadn't made the conscious decision but it was done. The idea caused his stomach to tighten but she did fit in, like a missing puzzle piece.<p>

His revelry was interrupted by the alarm on Sam's cell phone. Sam stretched and shook Raven awake, "Hey, it's time to work."

She went from dead asleep to alert faster than anyone he had ever seen. It reminded him that she was a doctor, something he continually forgot. She had a life before this, a damn good one from what he had gathered. She had a career, family, maybe even a man in her life. The idea of that made him cringe. Again, slamming the lid on that particular box, he handed Sammy the thermos of coffee and started going over the plan with them again.

* * *

><p>Dean had dropped them off a block or so from the cemetery, not wanting the sound of the Impala's engine to tip anyone off. He and Raven silently made their way to the back where Walter Cavanaugh was buried. Their part of the job was easy enough; dig up the man's grave, salt his bones and set them ablaze. Sam loved it when cases were this straight forward.<p>

The second they reached the plot, Raven took her shovel off her shoulder and started to work. Unfortunately, the ground was hard from the recent freeze but it began to yield to the sharp tip of the spade. They worked without speaking; only grunting with exertion. So far, so good.

* * *

><p>Dean was just pulling back into the lot near the tank when he heard an ominous sound. He threw the car into park, jumped out and opened the trunk. The ground beneath his feet shook from the rumble of the giant engine. Uh oh, he thought, Walter was pissed. Dean patted his jacket pocket, making sure the spell was still there. He loaded his double barrel sawed off and dashed toward the shrieking sound of the tank.<p>

"Sammy, you and Raven need to hurry."

* * *

><p>She had struck something hard with the blade of the shovel just as Sam's cell rang. "Dean?"<p>

"Sammy! The tank is on the rampage! Whatever you are going to do, do it quick!" He screamed in the phone. Raven could hear the tank through the speaker.

Struggling to get the lid off the coffin, she knew there was no time to lose, "Help me!"

Sam dropped the phone and jumped down. He and Raven pulled at the lid in unison, until the locks gave way. She climbed out to get the salt and lighter fluid and was struck in the back by an unseen force, driving her to the ground.

"Raven!" Sam called to her, "Are you alright?"

* * *

><p>Dean was running full speed up Broadway in pursuit of the tank. It was moving fast, in the direction of Burger World. Thinking it might have been a good idea to take the Impala, the sound turned suddenly down a side street and slowed.<p>

Dean caught up to it, pulled out the spell and began reading, "Ostendo sum vestri iratus phasmatis ostendo vestri verus vultus turpis vos es haud diutius."

Less than 30 feet in front of him, the tank appeared. It was still in the middle of the road, idling menacingly. Dean fired the shot gun at the rear. The salt round struck metal and skittered off. Uh oh, he though. Trying another strategy, he reached for this pistol and fired an iron round at the monster. Again, it struck metal and bounced off. Double uh oh. The turret swiveled in Dean's direction and stopped. Dean had a half second to dive out of the way of the shell that exploded in the wall next to his head.

* * *

><p>Sam hopped out of the grave to help Raven but she was already on her feet, mumbling the spell that he'd heard her say over the phone to Bobby. He grabbed the salt and covered Cavanaugh's bones in it. His head snapped up as he heard Raven's shotgun put a round in the spirit. Grabbing the lighter fluid, she was dousing the body when she bent over and moaned.<p>

Sam went to her but she shoved him away, "Hurry, it's Dean. Something's happened. Finish this!" Her eyes focused over his shoulder, "Down!" He dropped and she fired, again hitting the angry spirit.

* * *

><p>Dean was dodging shells, just keeping ahead of the turret. Without warning, the tank began creeping down the street and turned into a parking lot. Dean followed carefully, watching out for his skin as well as everyone else's.<p>

Across from the parking lot was Bedford Hospital. The only person around was a security guard who was making rounds. He dared not call attention to himself by running ahead of the machine but he had to warn the civilian. The vehicle gained speed when it spotted its intended target. Dean faded to the tank's right in an effort to get to the cover of the trees there and maybe get ahead of it without being seen. His plan was working until it gained even more speed, charging the guard who was checking the doors closest to its position. There was no other choice.

Dean fired again at the murdering mass of metal and yelled, "I'm over here you bastard!" The tank slowed but more importantly, the guard heard Dean and the noise, running for cover. It stopped, the turret turned and Dean dove out of the way. Walter was furious and was going to take it out on Dean. He managed to get clear but the shells kept coming. An explosion struck a tall tree right behind him and before he could roll out of the way, his torso was pinned under a heavy branch. The resulting crunching of his ribs was unsettling but he had bigger problems; he couldn't move. It adjusted its position, sensing victory as Dean lay on the ground, staring down the barrel of a tank.

* * *

><p>Taking no chances, Sam doused the bones with the entire can of lighter fluid. He lit a book of matches and was going to drop them when the spirit of an intensely angry Walter Cavanaugh appeared directly in front of him, wrapping his hand around Sam's neck. He struggled for air and the edges of his vision started going black. He knew he couldn't keep conscious much longer. Then Sam heard the most beautiful sound, the whoosh of a fire being lit. Walter dissolved into screaming ashes and Sam was free.<p>

Raven was standing next to the grave, looking ashen. "Sam, Dean is injured. We have to get to him."

* * *

><p>Just as Dean was sure he was a goner, the tank vanished and the night was silent again. The weight of the branch not only broke what he was sure was several ribs but was making breathing very difficult. He tried pushing up on the branch but it wouldn't budge. Dean struggled to get enough air. His vision was going dark and just as he lost consciousness, he heard his cell phone ring.<p>

_A/N: So you guys are probably pissed I left it there, huh? Well, you will find out soon enough if Dean lives or not. Muah ha ha ha ha! _


	13. Chapter 13

_A/N: I am SO sorry for my extended absence, especially on a cliff hanger, but my muse decided to go to TJ with Celeste101's muse and pick up men by baiting fishing poles with Coronas... _

_In all seriousness, I am taking summer classes and the work load is brutal so the updates will be a little sporadic until I get the rhythm down. I am also sorry this chapter is so short but I wanted to get you something to read. Hello to all my new readers and thanks to my faithful readers/reviewers/followers. You guys are the best and the reason I am still writing this thing. :)_

__**_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or the universe. If I did, I wouldn't be here writing about them, I'd be living there, eating pie off of Dean's tummy. :)_**__

Dean awoke to the sounds of beeping and whispering. Sounds he only equated with being in a hospital. He had yet to open his eyes, but he could feel Sam there at his side. Sammy wouldn't leave him alone until he was sure he was ok. That was just Sammy. Dean also heard pages turning and assumed the doctor or a nurse was in the room. He was listening intently, hoping to hear something about his condition before opening his eyes. The next voice he heard wasn't just any doctor or nurse, it was Raven.

"Sam, his vitals look really good. The fractured ribs didn't penetrate his lung and that is excellent news. He needs some rest but he's going to be just fine." Dean heard her professional manner and wondered what she wasn't telling Sam. "He's awake," she said with surprise.

"Dean, can you hear me?" Sam asked with genuine concern in his voice.

Dean opened his eyes about halfway as the lights were bright, "Yeah I can hear you, Sammy. I have some busted ribs. I'm not deaf."

Sam smiled and shook his head, "Yeah, Raven. He's going to be just fine."

* * *

><p>She leaned over his bed, shining a penlight into his eyes, checking his pupil response. The results of the CT scan were already back but she wasn't taking any chances.<p>

"Would you get that friggin light out of my face?" Dean pushed her hand away.

"My, aren't we the happy patient?" She grinned at him. He was going to be alright and she knew that but the image of his blood stained face under that tree branch continued to haunt her.

He honestly had no idea how close he came to death. When she got to him, his pulse was weak and his respiration was practically non-existent. She had started mouth to mouth resuscitation while Sam was trying to get the limb off his chest. Normally in situations like that, her training took over and her emotions were shoved aside. This time though, the feelings wouldn't budge. The tears flowed freely as she blew breath after breath into Dean's lungs. He wasn't going to die. She wasn't going to let him die.

It finally took five men to pull the branch off of him. The paramedics were on scene by then but Raven stayed put. They tried to move her but after Sam screamed at them that she was a surgeon; they yielded to her superior training. Raven was a good hunter, but this was where she belonged and she wasn't about to trust Dean to just anyone. She had him assessed, an IV started and in a cervical collar as quickly as she could make her hands move. In no time, Dean was in the ambulance and pulling up to the door of the emergency room across the street.

Once the branch had been removed, Dean's vitals had improved dramatically. His respiration had returned to normal and his pulse was steady. Unfortunately, she did not have hospital privileges so her treatment of Dean ended at the door. But the doc on duty advised her at every turn, sharing lab reports and radiology results, even consulting her on the best way to proceed concerning Dean's ribs.

Raven knew that her having a say in Dean's treatment made Sam feel better. Truthfully it had made them both fell better.

Sam went to get them both some much needed coffee. She didn't even flinch when he suggested it. It was going to be a long night and she needed to be alert. Raven was checking Dean's vitals yet again when he stirred, moaning. She ran her hand across his forehead in an effort to calm him. He opened his eyes, looking disoriented. Something tugged at her heart and she sat on the edge of the bed, shushing comfortingly, using the same tone he had used with her.

* * *

><p>Dean looked at her, disoriented from the pain meds. He might have been out of it but he knew the look she was wearing. Her beautiful indigo eyes had caring in them, maybe even some love also. She was running her hands through his hair and it felt amazing. Before he could make any sort of comment, she kissed him on the forehead. It was a sweet gesture, full of promise. She caressed the side of his face with her palm and god help him, he leaned into her touch.<p>

She bent down again and whispered in his ear, "Dean, please rest. We will talk when you are feeling better. Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

><p>He smiled at her and closed his eyes, sighing peacefully. It was only minutes before she heard gentle snoring. She sat in the chair next to the bed and let her mind wander. Dean was going to make a full recovery and she was relieved. She told herself that it was for Sam's sake but she was lying. After the powerful emotions that were brought to the surface, Raven couldn't deny it any longer. She was falling for Dean… hard. What am I going to do? she thought. It wasn't supposed to happen this way.<p>

Sam came back and saw Raven sitting by Dean's side. She turned to see him smiling at her broadly.

He handed her a cup of coffee and took the seat next to her, "How's he doin?"

"He's fine," she said, the relief flooding her voice, "the Doc is going to let us take him back to the motel. He wants to make sure Dean won't have a bad reaction to the meds and then we can take him back. He's taking into consideration that he will be under excellent care."

Sam rubbed her shoulder, "He is under excellent care. Raven, you saved his life."

She shrugged, "I did what anyone else would have. You know what Sam, let's not tell him about that, ok? I'm not sure how he would react."

"You're right," Sam said chuckling, "He'd probably get pissed."

Raven took a deep gulp of the coffee and almost choked. "This crap tastes like battery acid!" she hissed. Standing and walking to the trash, she threw the cup in with gusto.

Sam stood also and followed suit. "Come here," he asked gently.

She allowed herself to be pulled into Sam's arms. It felt so good to be there. In his arms, there was no conflict, no unnerving emotions, just peace. In his embrace, she was home.

* * *

><p>Dean heard their voices and opened his eyes slightly so he could see her. He wanted to gaze at her angelic face again. Instead, he was treated to the sight of her encircled in his brother's arms. Sam's head was lying on top of hers and the look on his face told him everything he needed to know. Sammy was in love with Raven. Her face was turned away from him and he was grateful. Dean didn't want to know how she felt about Sam. He decided then and there to quit Raven, cold turkey. It was bad enough that she was playing them against each other. She was probably working to drive a wedge between them, he thought. That's what she's up to, that bitch.<p>

His already heavy eyelids closed against his permission and he was out cold. The last thing he thought as he fell asleep was that he was going to figure out her plan. One way or another, he was going to protect Sam as well as himself.

_A/N: As an aside, I was in the emergency room of the hospital Dean's in right now. My hubby thought I was having an aneurysm. However, I just had the worst migraine of my life and am now fully recovered. See, I had a legitimate reason to be gone so long... research! )_


	14. Chapter 14

_A/N: Again, I'm sorry for the length between updates. School is starting to even out so I plan on writing a lot more. Thank you SO much for the reviews, alerts and faves. I swear they are better than crack! XD_

__**_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or the universe. If I did, I wouldn't be here writing about them, I'd be living there, eating pie off of Dean's tummy. :)_**__

It had been three days since Dean had gotten injured. He was in too much pain to travel so they had stayed close to Bedford while he recovered. Raven's headaches were held at bay courtesy of the peppermint oil treatment provided by Mr. French and they had been well fed by Lizzie, who was grateful to them for putting her grandfather's spirit at rest. She had made the comment that it was the most excitement that she had seen in fifteen years.

Raven had insisted they move to a more comfortable hotel so they had checked in to the Holiday Inn Express one town over, on her dime. She had been attending to Dean's injuries but his mood had been venomous. She had thought after their encounter in the Emergency Room that they had come to an understanding but it appeared as though Dean didn't remember what transpired. To say Raven was disappointed was a gross understatement. He had not spoken to her other than to answer direct questions concerning his health. He wasn't really talking to Sam either. All he did was sulk, eat, and sleep.

Sam wasn't making things any better. He was restless. All he talked about was the next hunt and was constantly trying to find another case for them to work. Raven kept reminding him that it would probably be a couple of weeks before Dean was up to doing any hunting but Sam just wasn't grasping the concept.

She was at her wits end when Sam discovered a lead on "the mother of all" and decided to visit Cleveland's large public library. He asked Raven to come but she wanted to stay behind with Dean. She was still injecting him with morphine and Dean insisted on drinking while taking it so she was keeping close watch. Sam seemed disappointed but couldn't really argue with her logic.

He took off mid-morning, leaving Raven and Dean alone. He was sleeping so she decided to do some laundry. It would pass the time and allow him to have some quiet. Watching the clothes tumble around in the dryer, she let her mind wander. What was she going to do about the current situation? She cared very deeply for Sam, but wasn't sure if that equated to love. And what she was feeling for Dean was downright scary. He could leave her breathless with a look. His entire being radiated this magnetism that she was having a hard time resisting.

There also was the matter of the connection between them that had yet to be explained. Sam appeared to have forgotten in the aftermath of the case that Raven had told him Dean was injured. Grateful he had not asked, she struggled to rationalize how it had happened. She had simply known. It was almost as if he had called her name across the distance and not just her ears had responded. The sensation was instinctive and there was no way to control it. The entire situation made little sense and that irritated her. In her world, concepts that did not follow a logical pattern were disregarded. Being analytical was what made her such a good hunter and it made her an even better doctor. Emotions were part of the job but not to be relied upon to make decisions. So how am I supposed to figure out an explanation for what is going on between Dean and I without feelings being involved. It seemed as though the entire relationship was based on raw emotion.

Her train of thought was rudely interrupted by the shrill ring of her cell phone. As she answered the call, she wasn't even given the chance to say hello before being cut off.

"Where in the hell are you?" Dean yelled in the phone. "I am in pain and need my meds."

"I'll be right there, your Highness," she replied with an acidic tone. Her examination of the situation would have to wait.

* * *

><p>Dean lay in the amazingly comfortable bed flipping through the TV channels, trying to find something to watch that didn't cause him to actively lose brain cells. Talk about a tall order, he thought. All that appeared to be on were those horrible judge shows and cartoons. He turned the set off and flipped the remote across the bed. Besides his discovery that Raven was playing him and Sam against each other bothering the crap out of him, he was fidgety. Dean had never been exceptionally good at doing nothing. It wasn't in his nature. Raven would be back soon and the haze of pain meds would force him to sleep.<p>

Napping while whacked on morphine had proven to be an interesting experience. For the first time in years, he had not dreamt of hell, not once. And for the first time in years, he felt well rested. The sensation was wonderful and aggravating at the same time. He was used to living on adrenaline. Dean thrived on getting by on a few hours of sleep and lots of caffeine. But if he allowed himself to admit it, even with a chest full of busted ribs, he had never felt better.

Raven came through the door with a sour expression. He figured she really didn't take to kindly to being ordered around. Good, he thought. About time Miss High and Mighty got a taste of her own medicine.

She didn't speak to him. She simply loaded his dose into a syringe and walked to the bed. To make giving him his meds easier, she had placed an IV port in his arm. Swabbing the head of the port with an alcohol rub, she slowly squeezed the morphine into his veins. Dean felt the effects instantly. His eyelids began to droop and the familiar feeling of euphoria followed by intense drowsiness swept him away.

* * *

><p>He squinted and rubbed his eyes, tired from hours of staring at computer screen. The research was going so slowly that it was painful. His new lead took him nowhere. Frustrated, but unwilling to go back to the room and watch Dean sleep, Sam had tried another approach that was pointing toward the inevitable dead end.<p>

More than anything, he just wanted to get back to Raven. She had been a little distant since the hunt. Sam was aware that she took Dean's injuries to heart but he wasn't sure what that meant. Raven had proven she was an excellent doctor as well as a capable hunter. Sam was counting on the care that she had been rendering would convince Dean to keep her around. But much to his surprise, Dean was being horrible to her and snapping at him. He wanted to blame the injuries or the meds but something was telling him it was more than that. Somehow, the peace needed to be restored.

* * *

><p>When Dean woke up from his nap, Raven was sitting next to the window, reading one of the Latin texts she had borrowed from Bobby. She was completely absorbed so Dean decided to take a long look. Her auburn hair was shimmering in the sunlight that filtered through the curtains. Her legs, graceful even while still, stretched across the couch cushions. She was dressed comfortably in flannel pajama pants and one of Sam's sweatshirts. In spite of his anger, Dean found himself captivated by the way she was absently twisting her bangs. In the brief time she had been with them, her hair had grown and it was currently a mess. He also noticed that her face had lost some of its fullness. Now that he thought about it, he really never saw her eat much of anything and the hollow contours of her cheekbones showed it. The cracks in her armor were showing. Maybe he was wrong about her, he thought.<p>

She glanced up from her book and looked startled to see him staring at her. She placed a bookmark in the leather bound volume and got up. Checking his vitals and listening to his breathing, she seemed satisfied that he was doing alright.

"You want another dose of morphine?" she asked wearily. Dean noted the deep crease between her eyebrows.

He shook his head and replied, "I am not in any pain right now. Maybe later."

She turned toward the kitchenette and sighed, "You want some lunch? Lizzie dropped off another chicken casserole and it's still warm."

Dean felt himself smile. Lizzie had taken a liking to him and was insisting on feeding him at every turn. "No, but thank you. Sit down, please." She looked a little stunned, but did as he requested. "Raven, I think we should talk."

"About what, Dean?"

"Well, I have been a complete dick the past few days and I think I should explain." She nodded and he continued, "I saw Sam holding you that night at the hospital."

She shrugged, "Yeah… and?"

"You don't care that I saw you and got jealous?" He couldn't stop the words from coming out if his mouth.

"You were jealous? Why?" The look on her face was a mixture of surprise and pleasure.

"Didn't you want me to be jealous?" Well, looks like a misjudged this situation, he thought.

"Why in heaven's name would I want to make you jealous? Dean, the last thing I want is to come between you and Sam." No one could doubt the sincerity in her voice.

"Raven, I need to know how you feel about me… and how you feel about Sam."

She ran her fingers through her hair in a gesture of pure exasperation, "Dean, I…"

Just as she was starting to answer the question, Sam let himself in the room with his key, "Dean, glad you are awake. I found us a case."

_A/N: Yeah, I know... another cliffy. I'm sorry! But if it makes you guys feel any better, I plan on updating again over the long weekend. Happy 4th of July to all my U.S. readers! Please be safe and try not to blow any fingers off! XD_


	15. Chapter 15

_A/N: I'm baaaaaaaaack! Sorry I was gone so long but my muse has her meds regulated and decided to hit me upside the head with the frying pan of inspiration. There's not a lot of action in this chapter. This was just me getting back to business. Thanks for sticking with me and I hope you enjoy!_

Dean was frustrated and it was making him cranky. They had left without him. His ribs were mending but if he were to get hit in the chest with any type of force, he risked a punctured lung. So Sam and Raven had decided Bobby's was a safe place for him to stay while they went to hunt. He wasn't about to admit this to anyone but he felt just like he did when Dad went on a hunt. He didn't even have Sam there to look after. So, he lay in bed and pouted. Bobby had tried to amuse him by asking for help with research but after a few hours of that, Dean was over it. So he slept or watched TV.

Sam checked in with Dean often. He knew that Dean would be worried and bored so he made a point of calling whenever he could. He and Raven had caught this case purely by accident.

* * *

><p>Walking out of the library in Cleveland, a newspaper caught his eye. The headline read, "Gremlins Causing Accidents". For a hunter, stuff that like just screams to be read. Sam scanned the article in the Montgomery Advertiser-Journal.<p>

_Montgomery, AL (AP) – The Safety Management Team at the local Hyundai manufacturing plant are blaming a string of near fatal accidents on worker inattentiveness and a lack of proper safety screening of equipment but workers are telling a different story. The workers are saying that the plant has gremlins. Four workers were injured on the ninth when a completed vehicle rolled off the assembly line with no driver behind the wheel. Two days later, three workers were injured as a robotic arm swung out of its prescribed position and knocked the men off of a ladder. Just three days later, one worker was critically injured when a rear seat fell from a conveyer, paralyzing the man from the waist down. The accidents are being investigated and the plant remains open._

Sam ripped the page out and returned to the hotel room excited. He gave a brief look inside to see if Dean was sleeping, "Dean, glad you are awake. I found us a case." He paused and saw that Raven looked frustrated and decided to put a stop to Dean's childishness. "Dean, I know you were badly hurt but you need to be nicer to Raven. She saved your life, you know."

Dean looked at Raven, the question plain on his face. The look she shot Sam was murderous. He did a mental facepalm when he remembered they had agreed to keep that fact to themselves. Sam gave her his puppy dog look and she smiled a little. He knew he was forgiven.

"I'll tell you about it later," She whispered to Dean. "So, what's the case?"

Sam handed her the paper. Reading in silence, she looked amused and then perplexed. She handed the article to Dean, turning her attention to Sam.

Dean finished reading quickly, "Gremlins… seriously?"

"Well," Raven began, "There is a lot of lore on the subject. The term originated with World War Two pilots, some of whom swear to seeing small creatures inside the aircraft and later the plane would have some sort of mechanical malfunction. It's worth a look."

Sam nodded, "I agree. Raven, you up for a hunt?"

"Raven? What about me? I'm ready." Dean pouted.

"You are ready for nowhere but a bed, Dean." Raven answered. She knew getting Dean to stay in bed and rest was going to be a tough job. It wasn't in his nature to be still. "Maybe we should take you to Bobby's while we are gone. That way you can rest somewhere comfortable and Bobby can keep an eye on you."

Dean's face fell, "You are leaving me behind? I can stay at the motel and do research."

"Dean, you should be taking it easy and you and I both know that if you go on a job, you are not going to stay put. I agree with Raven. Rest at Bobby's and we'll wrap this up in no time."

He grumbled but accepted he was not going to win this fight. And he hadn't. So far Sam and Raven had been gone less than twenty-four hours. If they didn't get back soon, Dean was going to go crazy.

* * *

><p>Sam and Raven had been driving for almost an entire day when they saw the Welcome to Alabama sign on the side of I-65. They had been taking turns driving and sleeping the entire way, only stopping for gas and food. This case was moving fast and there was no time to waste. Raven was currently driving the Impala and was sincerely hoping not to be around when Dean found out. He had pitched enough of a fit about being left at Bobby's.<p>

There had been no time to finish their earlier conversation so she had not answered his question about her feelings. Which was good because at the moment, she had no idea. She glanced at Sam, who was sleeping quietly in the passenger's seat, and her heart sighed. Sam was… everything. He was so much more than a friend, more than a lover even. He was part of her and had been from the moment they met. She loved him so very much but was unsure if she was falling IN love with him. She was attracted to him. Who wouldn't be? He was chiseled perfection with the face of an angel. The strange thing was there wasn't really any chemistry. She hadn't had the urge to kiss Sam, not like she had with Dean. Dean… Wow. Talk about chemistry. He turned her insides to mush with a look. Her brain went on auto pilot when he was around and her hormones took over. Looking into Sam's eyes brought her peace. Looking into Dean's eyes made her wet. The term was crude but accurate. "Too bad I can't put them together," she thought, "then I would have the perfect man."

Sam decided to wake up in that moment which was convenient because Raven was no closer to figuring out how she felt than when she started. She was going to just have to let this play out.

"You ready for a nap?" Sam mumbled, still groggy.

"No, Sam. I'm good actually. She drives like a dream."

Sam grinned, "Let's keep that fact between ourselves. I believe Dean would actually blow a gasket."

"Agreed. We just passed into Alabama so it shouldn't be too much longer. Why don't you go back to sleep and I'll wake you here in a little bit?"

Sam yawned loudly and nodded. Even without enough room to stretch out, he was asleep in minutes.

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes later, while they were stopped for coffee, her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. Seeing Dean's name on the display actually made her heart skip a beat. He had been calling Sam exclusively since they left Bobby's.<p>

"Hello?"

"Hi," Dean said, making her stomach quiver, "What are you guys up to?" She excused herself from the table and went outside to get some privacy.

Raven replied, "We stopped to get some coffee. We're almost to Montgomery. Why did you called me instead of Sam?"

Dean sighed, "Dunno. Trying to change things up a bit I guess. I am bored out of my mind."

"We've been gone twenty-four hours, Dean. The boredom is only going to get worse."

"Yeah, I know. But…"

"But what?" Raven prompted.

"Well… but…. it's like…. eh, never mind." Dean was searching for words and it was all Raven could do not to laugh.

Raven sighed and took him off the hook, "You wanted to continue the conversation we started in the hotel room?"

"Yeah, I guess." Dean confessed.

She took a moment to glance at the diner, Sam had already paid the bill and was on his way out. Now was not the time to get into a deep discussion with Dean about her completely mixed up emotions.

"Dean, Sam is coming. I'll call you when I have some privacy, ok?"

Dean sighed, "Ok. Be safe. Both of you."

"We will. Good night, Dean." Raven replied with sincerity. She heard the click as Dean disconnected.

Sam walked up behind her, patting her shoulder, "Everything ok?"

"Oh yeah. It was Dean. He was bored." She laughed but her eyes did not warm and she knew Sam sensed her discomfort.

Instead of pressing the point, Sam suggested they get back on the road and she readily agreed.

Sam crawled in behind the wheel, leaving Raven to her thoughts. Realizing that Dean was going to be expecting an answer to his question sooner than planned, she let her thoughts wander hoping that something would come to her.

Sam broke her train of thought with one of his own, "Raven? Can we talk about something?"

"Sure, Sam. We can talk about anything."

"Now that we are both awake and have a quiet place to talk, I really want your opinion on what's going on between us."

Raven's thoughts screamed, "Not you too!" and took a very deep breath, trying to prepare an answer.

_Not really a cliffy but I wasn't real sure what's gonna happen next. It will come to me and as soon as it does, you will know about it. Thanks for reading. :)_


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update but life is happening and all that crap... Natali, this update is for you... **

**_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or the universe. If I did, I wouldn't be here writing about them, I'd be living there, eating pie off of Dean's tummy. :)_**

Raven had absolutely no idea how to answer him. How could she describe something so wonderful and confusing? How was she to tell Sam that she loved him but she was not in love with him?

Just as she was about to try and explain the churning emotions floating within her head and heart, Sam's phone rang. Saved by the cell, Raven thought.

"Hey Bobby," Sam said, "Got something? Ok, lemme put you on speaker so Raven can listen in." Sam pressed a button on his Blackberry and Bobby's voice flooded the interior of the Impala.

"So, here's what I have so far. The lore points to the actual existence of gremlins and goes back for centuries. They are not playful spirits, like one might think. They are actually the spawn of Loki. Remember him? The little bastards are intended to cause chaos in one specific area versus widespread crap on crackers like their daddy likes to dish out. Also, they like to hang out in the same place for years unlike "Papa Mischief" who does is thing and moves on. Look for small, purple spirits that move really fast."

Raven contemplated the information and asked the obvious question, "So how do we off them, Bobby?"

"That's the hard part. You have to catch them and then drown them in holy water."

"Catch them? How?" Sam replied, asking the other obvious question.

"I'll send you the ingredient list and incantation in an e-mail. The trap is not hard to set. The problem is going to be setting more than one in a facility that runs 24/7 and then drowning the little buggers. Might draw attention to yourselves. Good thing the two smartest hunters I know are on this one."

"Awww Bobby, you flatter me." Raven laughed, "Let Dean know we are just outside of Montgomery. We're going to catch a nap and then do the FBI routine."

"Will do, Raven. And for God's sake, please hurry. He is driving me to drink, which really isn't all that far."

Raven and Sam chuckled as Bobby hung up. They were just passing into the city limits of Montgomery. Off to her right, Raven could see the dome of the state capitol building gleaming in the night sky. Sammy did not bring up his question again and she was grateful. She needed time but she had the feeling that the Winchester brothers were going to demand answers before she was ready to give them.

* * *

><p>Raven waited in the car while Sam got them a room. She knew he would ask for a king and for the first time, she was nervous about sharing a bed with him. The butterflies in her stomach threatened to turn into jumbo jets. Her instincts told her he was going to "make a move" and she was still unsure of her feelings concerning Sam. The really confusing part was if Dean were in Sam's shoes, she more than likely would not hesitate.<p>

Sam came out of the motel office to find Raven staring out the window, as she had been for hours. Sam knew she was contemplating the question he had asked earlier and truth be told, so was he. He had feelings for her that were so strong, they were scary. The bond they shared was stronger than anything he'd ever felt, even with Jess or Dean. Sam had been in love before but he was unsure if that was how he felt about Raven. He needed to know and tonight, he was going to find out.

They unpacked the car and Sam settled in to check his e-mail. Bobby had sent the list and incantation, as promised. And he was right. Gremlins were relatively easy to kill, in the scheme of things. It was going to be the set-up that was the problem. Drawing a sigil on the floor with goat's blood was going to attract attention. He was confident that they would come up with a plan but they both needed sleep.

After Raven changed into her pajamas, Sam got ready for bed as well. She was already under the covers waiting on him when he returned from the bathroom. Raven was facing away from him but he could tell she was still awake. The tension was rolling off of her in waves. Sam smiled to himself and turned out the light. He had no intention of forcing anything on her she wasn't ready for. Pulling back the covers, he slid into the bed behind Raven, wrapped his arms around her and settled in for sleep.

* * *

><p>Raven was waiting for Sam to come out of the bathroom. Her nerves were strung so tight they could have been plucked like a banjo. She knew he wanted to take their relationship to the next level. She could feel the anticipation coursing through him. Raven was inexperienced when it came to men. She hadn't had a boyfriend in either high school or college. Her education was too important to waste time on frivolous things like love. So how was she to interpret the signals he was sending? She knew deep inside that Sam would never do anything to hurt her, physically or emotionally. Flipping on to her side just as Sam opened the bathroom door, she decided to let the situation play itself out. One way or another, she would find out what Sam was up to.<p>

* * *

><p>Sam could feel her shallow breathing against his chest. Not only was she not sleeping, she was damn near hyperventilating. Sam ran his fingers through her chestnut hair and kissed the back of her head in the hopes that she would calm down. He was starting to get concerned. When he felt her shiver violently, Sam rolled her over into his sculpted chest and held her gently, making soft shushing sounds in her ear.<p>

* * *

><p>Raven had felt his rock hard body curl into her back and all rationality went out the window. Panic set in and she was breathing in quick gasps. She felt his fingers in her hair and his gentle kiss on the crown of her head. Her involuntary shiver scared her. She did not resist when Sam rolled her over into his arms. He could just make out her face in the light peeking in from behind the curtains. What he saw was not fear on Raven's face, it was confusion. He could completely understand the emotions written plainly on her beautiful face. It's now or never, he thought. He stroked her velvet soft cheek with the back of his knuckles and leaned down to kiss her perfect lips.<p>

* * *

><p>Raven looked up at Sam and could feel all her doubts and insecurities rush to the surface. Sam's face wore a tender expression as he ran his hand down her face. He's going to kiss me, she thought. She closed her eyes and waited to fell his lips on hers.<p>

**A/N: I know, I know... You are going to kill me... I am already working on the next update and you'll have it in no more than 48 hours... Promise... Unless I don't get any reviews and then I am going to hold it hostage... Muah ha ha ha! I'm kidding! No seriously, review... Please? puppy dog eyes**


	17. Chapter 17

_Raven looked up at Sam and could feel all her doubts and insecurities rush to the surface. Sam's face wore a tender expression as he ran his hand down her cheek. He's going to kiss me, she thought. She closed her eyes and waited to feel his lips on hers._

Sam's lips brushed against Raven's, warm and wonderful. He was about to deepen the kiss when a giggle escaped his lips. Embarrassed beyond belief, he noticed that Raven had giggled too. Why were they both giggling? Maybe they were just nervous. Sam tried to kiss Raven again. They were both giggling before Sam even touched her lips.

"Sam," Raven began with mirth in her voice, "I think we should stop. This doesn't feel right."

Sam looked deeply into her eyes and realized she was right. Kissing her felt wrong. The connection that he felt to her was still there, but it didn't feel romantic.

He kissed her forehead and said, "You're right. What we are feeling isn't romantic. It's more than that."

Raven considered Sam's words and realized what she was feeling was so much more than love. Sam was a part of her and that wasn't going to change. But the way they approached each other would. Relieved, Raven curled into Sam's waiting arms and fell into a deep sleep.

Sam looked down at Raven's peaceful face and smiled. He was no closer to finding out why he and Raven were so close but there was one piece of the puzzle solved. He drew her tighter into his arms and slept breathing in the scent of her shampoo.

Sleep eluded Dean. He's had his dose of morphine but there was no sleep coming in his near future. All these thoughts kept rolling around in his head like a giant game of marbles. The worst of it was he missed her. How could he be missing someone he wasn't even sure he liked? He had no answer to that question but the feeling remained.

It'll be better when I can get back out on the road, he thought. Then I'll have something to focus on instead of some broad who's gotten under my skin. Had she gotten under his skin? That was obvious. The problem appeared to be what to do about it.

To get his mind off things, Dean started humming Metallica. That always helped. The pain killers were finally dragging him under when the air was sucked out of his lungs. It felt as though his ribs were caving in and he shivered so hard he thought his teeth were going to shake out of his head. What the hell?

Raven started moaning and within seconds she was screaming and trembling harder than Sam had ever seen. Sam shook her awake and noticed the blood tricking out of her nose. Her eyes were wild.

"Raven, Raven! What's wrong? Are you alright?" Sam shook her slightly, trying to drag her from whatever nightmare had taken hold. She finally stared back at Sam with blank, dark eyes and began to cry. No matter how badly her head had hurt or how bad the nightmares were, he'd never seen her cry. Sam frantically wiped the tears from her cheeks and rocked her back and forth in his arms, needing her to snap out of this trance.

Raven finally laid her head on his shoulder and stopped sobbing when Sam's phone rang.

"Dean… now's not a good time." Sam answered.

"Sam, what's wrong with Raven? Is she alright?" Dean replied breathlessly.

"I don't know. She woke up screaming with blood running out of her nose. Wait, how did you know?"

Dean huffed, "Never mind that now. Go take care of her." And the line disconnected.

Sam stared at his phone only momentarily and left her on the bed to get a washcloth from the bathroom. He gently cleaned her nose of the blood and brought her a fresh shirt to change into. She was so rattled she stripped the shirt off in front of Sam without even thinking.

"Raven, honey, what's going on?" he encouraged.

"Pain," she mumbled, "Terrible pain."

"Who's?" Sam replied.

"Mine." Then her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed.

Hours later, she awoke feeling disoriented. What the hell had happened? Sam was sitting next to her with a look on his face that she had never seen. He was as pale as a ghost, his eyes full of fear.

"Sam? What's going on?" Raven asked.

Sam sighed, "You collapsed after waking up screaming. How do you feel?"

"Fine," she replied, "I'm a little fuzzy but otherwise ok. What do you mean I woke up screaming? I don't remember that."

"You don't remember? You had blood gushing from your nose. You've been out for almost three hours."

She shivered slightly and furrowed her brow in concentration. For the life of her, she could not remember waking up or what had forced her to do so. She would have insisted Sam was mistaken if she hadn't seen her nightshirt on the end of the bed, stained with blood.

"I'm concerned that you don't remember waking up and that you lost consciousness. I would have taken you to the hospital but your vitals were strong. I was considering calling the paramedics but you came to."

Raven sighed, "No need, Sam. I feel fine and there's not much an ER would do except a CAT scan, which would show nothing. It was probably some broken blood vessels in my sinus cavity and a stress reaction to a bad dream. Nothing to worry about. What time is it?"

"It's just after six. If you are feeling up to it, we really should get to the plant and do the FBI thing. There hasn't been a gremlin attack in a couple of days and I'm afraid someone else is going to get hurt."

"Agreed," Raven replied, "Just let me take a quick shower and I'll be ready."

She rolled out of bed and called over her shoulder, "Hey Sam, would you be a dear and…"

"Get you some orange juice?" he smiled, "Be right back."

Raven grinned at him as he stepped out the door. She was turning on the tap when her cell rang. She saw Dean's number and smiled involuntarily.

"Sam and I are going to get to the plant in just a little while. You must be stir crazy if you are calling me for an update early in the morning." she grinned into the phone.

Dean sighed in relief and then launched into a tirade, "I'm not calling you for an update! I have been worried sick for hours that you were dead or worse and you have the nerve to answer the phone with some wise ass comment. I ought to come down there and smack the shit out of you!"

Raven was about to yell right back at him when she realized something, "You were worried about me?"

"Ahhhhhhh!" Dean screamed and hung up the phone.

Raven couldn't help but feel giddy that Dean had been concerned. He does care, she thought. Now that she was sure there was nothing romantic between she and Sam, there was the luxury of thinking about Dean. But what to think about? That was a question to ponder after this job was sorted out.

She stepped in the shower and let the warm water run down her body. Humming to herself, she had just soaped up a washcloth when she trembled and dizziness over took her. There were flashes in front of her eyes, images rapidly moving from one to the next, never stopping long enough so they could be recognized. The only emotion she could gather from the pictures scorching her brain, pain.

As quickly as they started, they were gone. Raven was stunned to find herself kneeling in the tub with blood running down her face. No wonder Sam was worried, she thought.

Sam knocked on the bathroom door. "Raven? You ok?"

Raven didn't even hesitate, "Yeah Sam, I am fine. Be right out." Lying to him felt so wrong but she wasn't about to tell him what had just happened. She quickly finished the rest of her shower and put the episode in the back of her mind. There was work to be done.


	18. Chapter 18

Sam and Raven walked into the plant, fake IDs in hand. They had no problems getting through the gate. Getting into the plant, however, was another matter. The security guard at the plant entrance had insisted on calling their "supervisor" aka Bobby. After that phone call everything went smoothly and they were on their way to talk to the plant safety manager.

Again this seemed like an open and shut case but they had to be sure. The problem was not the type of monster but how to get the plant emptied while they set the traps and waited for those little bastards to get themselves caught. Raven had been contemplating a plan but it might require some assistance from some of her fellow hunters. In the mean time, information was required.

Sam approached the office they had been directed to and Raven let him take point. She hadn't admitted to Sam but she'd been feeling kind of peculiar since that morning. Physically she was fine but it felt as though there was this cloud following her, shadowing her and at any moment it would sneak up and strike. That sense of foreboding was something she had never felt before and it was difficult to work with. The last thing she needed on a hunt was something breaking her concentration. People died that way.

Sam opened the door to the safety manager's office and, to his credit, did not hold the door open for Raven. Sam understood that keeping the appearance that they were just partners helped a female "agent" acquire the appropriate respect.

They approached the man behind the desk who appeared to be in his mid 40's. He had a paunchy build and his complexion was the color of a ripe tomato. Whomever this guy was talking to on the phone had him sweating bullets.

"Mr. Turner? I'm Special Agent Simmons. This is Special Agent Stanley. We'd like to ask you a couple of questions." Sam said with his authoritative voice. Raven loved this voice. Even thought Sam didn't flaunt it, there were situations where he would use his height to his advantage. This would be one of those times.

Turner held up a finger and continued the animated conversation he was having on the phone. Sam and Raven glanced at one another when they over heard the words "OSHA" and "shutdown". If the Occupational Health and Safety Administration were to shut the plant down, that would be the break they were looking for. Neither of them had come up with a suitable plan for clearing the plant to set the traps. If they got lucky, Uncle Sam would take care of that for them.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Agents. I'm Tom Turner, the Safety Manager of the facility. As you can imagine, things have been quite hectic the last few days. What questions can I answer for you?"

Sam cleared his throat and began, "Mr. Thomas, when did the incidents begin?"

"Well, just a couple of weeks ago. Our safety record was exemplary until then. We'd been almost a year without an accident." He replied.

"Have any of the workers mentioned seeing anything 'strange' around the plant?" Sam asked hesitantly.

"Agent Simmons, I am not one to spread rumor or to participate in conjecture but the men on the line swear that they have seen these 'blurs of light' right before the accidents occurred. One of the third shift guys, Martin Stover, said that just before he was struck by the robotic arm, he saw something 'streak' by him. Said it looked lime green baby. I think he hit his head harder than they thought." Thomas chuckled.

Sam was about to ask another question when Raven's cell rang. She excused herself to take the call and when she saw the display answered the phone, "Agent Freily, now is not a good time".

Dean replied, "Talked to your buddy Craig. Just thought you would like to know, you can't just set traps for these little bastards. It won't work. They'll just hide from you. You are going to have to herd them."

"Herd them? How in the hell are we going to do that?"

"Well, it's a good thing I'm a genius." Raven could hear his smirk through the phone, "Turns out gremlins hate the sound of a dog whistle."

Raven cocked her head at the voice on the other end of the phone, "A dog whistle? Huh, they must have sensitive ears. Might be something we can work with. Thanks for the heads up, Dean."

"Not a problem. How are you feeling? Anything rattling around up there in that super thick noggin of yours?"

Raven chuckled, "I'm fine. Just ready to get this one over with. I am sure you are ready for us to be back."

"Yeah," Dean admitted, "both of you."

Out of the corner of her eye, Raven saw Sam wrapping things up with the safety manager, "Gotta go. I'll call you later." Hanging up the cell, she walked over to Sam and filled him in on the info Dean provided.

"That gives me an idea," Sam replied, "While I was talking to Turner, OSHA called and they are shutting the plant down until further notice. We caught a break. Come on, let's go back to the hotel. We have some planning to do."


	19. Chapter 19

After stopping at pet store to grab a couple of dog whistles, Sam and Raven decided to head back to the motel room, gather the necessary gear and grab a nap before heading back to the plant to implement their plan. The half an hour drive back from the edges of Montgomery County gave them time to work out the details of the herd and capture strategy.

Raven came up with the idea to record the dog whistle and play it on repeat over the plant's PA system. Conveniently, the whistle was silent so there was no reason to worry about unwanted attention. Once the gremlin annoyance recording was in place, the gremlins would look to escape from it. Luckily, there was a small service door along the northern side of the building that was a perfect "chute" to wrangle their prey through. Should be a simple job but if Raven had learned anything when it came to hunting with the Winchesters, nothing was ever simple.

Sam would rarely suggest a nap before a hunt but Raven had yawned every few minutes since they had left the plant. He felt badly for her but he also needed her sharp. If something went wrong, Sam needed to know she could cover his ass.

Raven didn't object in the least to the idea of a nap. She'd been sorta fuzzy all day. She still had not mentioned the incident in the shower to Sam… and she felt terribly about it. Lying to Sam just felt completely wrong. It felt almost as bad as lying to herself and she was becoming accomplished at that. She decided to talk to Sam when they lay down to sleep.

She stood to take her turn in the bathroom and the room spun. All she could see was the floor, coming fast.

When Raven stood, Sam glanced up in time to watch her legs collapse. He grabbed blindly and caught her arm just before she crashed into the carpet. When he flipped her over, there was blood gushing from her nose.

Raven woke in Sam's arms. He was wiping her face with the tail of his shirt. What the hell was going on?

"Did I pass out again?" Raven quietly asked.

Sam sighed with relief and nodded. "I caught you right before you face planted. How are you feeling?"

She sat up and felt no headache this time. There wasn't even the slightest bit of dizziness.

"I feel fine, Sam," He gave her the "yeah right" look, "Seriously. There's not even a headache."

"This is getting out of hand, Raven. We have to talk about this." Sam looked so concerned, it made her heart ache.

She sighed. It was time to come clean about this morning.

"Sam, this happened in the shower this morning as well. I felt a rush of dizziness and pain then lost consciousness. I couldn't have been out for very long and woke feeling alright. I am just as concerned as you are but I don't think this is medical. I have the same sensation as when I was having nightmares but while I am awake. It almost feels like my brain is overloading." Shaking her head slightly to try and realign the synapses, she looked up at Sam. His eyes were warm and scared. The emotion in them was fathomless.

Raven couldn't help herself. She threw her arms around him and rubbed his back gently, trying her damndest to soothe the tension out of his shoulders. She could feel the worry seeping out of his pores and it was debilitating. Drawing back, she saw his worry subside and the confusion take hold. Wow, she thought, where in the hell is all this coming from?

The bed was already warm when she came out of the bathroom to join Sam. She felt peaceful for the first time in a while lying in his arms. Sam has opted to sleep without a shirt and his silky skin was comforting against her cheek.

She sighed loudly and Sam asked, "You ok?"

"Yeah," she replied, "Just feeling really content. I haven't felt this way in a really long time. I was enjoying the sensation."

She felt Sam chuckle, "Me too. Dean is my brother and all but it's nice to be away from him sometimes. Being on the road with him is like being in a really bad marriage that I didn't want and can't get out of."

Raven's laughter tinkled through the room. She understood completely. If she had to be cooped up with her brothers like the Winchesters were, she would have murdered them ages ago. The idea made her giggle even louder.

She glanced up at Sam, just to see his smile and was not disappointed. He was beaming like a ray of sunshine just for her. He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and commented, "I love the sound of your laugh."

Sam may have been smiling but his eyes were smoldering with another emotion. Raven felt it deep in her belly and it was growing. Sam's face was so amazing. His jaw line and cheek bones were so manly with smooth skin to soften them and full lips begging to be kissed.

He caught the electricity flowing between them and held his breath. Apparently the emotions flowing between them weren't as resolved as he had believed. He parted his lips in anticipation.

She was gazing into his blazing eyes unsure what to do. Something had ignited between them and Raven was being swept out with the tide. When Sam parted his lips, the muscles in the pit of her stomach clenched and she launched herself at him, covering those lips with her own.

Sam was caught completely off guard when Raven kissed him with such intensity. There was no doubt he wanted her but this was so unexpected. He tried not to think too hard about what this meant and enjoyed the sensation of her soft tongue exploring his mouth and her hands fisted in his hair.


	20. Chapter 20

The heat between them was rapidly becoming too much to handle. Sam couldn't get enough of her sweet flesh under his hands, enough of her beautiful mouth on his. While caressing her cheeks, he felt moisture on his thumbs. Afraid she was crying he drew back and opened his eyes to find her face smeared in blood, as well as his hands.

"Oh my god, Raven…" Sam said.

Raven registered the fear in Sam's eyes and glanced at his hands. They were covered in blood and it was on his face as well. Her hands untangled from his hair in time to catch the stream gushing from her nose. She jumped from the bed, ran to the bathroom and locked the door. Sam immediately began banging from the other side, begging to be let in. All Raven could do was stare at the woman in the mirror. Her hair mussed, face concealed in blood but with the heat of the moment still burning in her dark blue eyes. Reaching for a towel, the hem of her shirt rose revealing a bloody hand print where Sam's hands briefly skimmed her ribcage and she began to shiver. She began to remove as much of the red stickiness as she could from her cheeks, rubbing hard, as if she were trying to eradicate the memories of what had just happened.

* * *

><p>Sam was about to kick in the door down when Raven finally unlocked the knob but did not turn it for him. It was her way of telling him she was alright but needed a minute and he understood. He heard the shower start and waited a few minutes before entering. She was behind the curtain and the smell of honeysuckle and lavender filled the space. The air was already sultry with the steam of the hot shower.<p>

"Raven, are you alright?" Sam almost whispered.

"I don't know," she said simply. He knew she wasn't going to say any more at the moment.

"I am going to clean up and wait for you outside. Ok?" There was no response.

He did the best he could to clean his face and hands quickly and left the bathroom without another word.

* * *

><p>The water was as hot as she could stand. She went through the ritual of the shower like a robot, trying so hard to quell the shivering that had started and threatened not to stop. There is no reason she should be feeling this way. Sam had not forced himself on her. It was she that kissed him first. But her ragged emotions felt like she had somehow been violated; like what had transpired had not been what she had wanted. The smell of her shampoo settled her nerves somewhat. And the knowledge that Sam was never going to make her do something she did not want was comforting. The thought that would not leave her be was the fact that even though she did not feel those sorts of feelings for Sam, she could not help herself.<p>

Sam was pacing the worn carpet, trying to be patient and let Raven have her space but it was damn frustrating. She was the one who started the encounter and was now acting as though she had been wronged somehow. And her nose was bleeding again. This all HAS to be connected, he thought.

His thoughts shifted to the feel of her mouth on his neck and his hands on her skin. She was so much softer than he had imagined. Had he not discovered she was bleeding, they would be making love. And that realization rocked Sam to his core. He still wanted her. He had always wanted her.

"Damnit,"he cursed, "What am I supposed to do now?"

* * *

><p>Raven had stalled as long as she could. Sam was waiting and there was no way to avoid the inevitable conversation. How was she going to explain that she didn't want that to happen but she was the one who started it? Taking a deep breath, she stepped out into the room and spotted Sam on the phone.<p>

"Thank you for calling, Mr. Turner. We'll coordinate with OSHA from this point forward. Yes…. and thank you again. Good bye." Sam ended the call and turned to look at Raven.

She was standing in the middle of the room, wrapped in the big fluffy robe, looking as small as he had ever seen her. Sam could feel the tension rolling off her and wanted to do what he could to comfort her… from a distance.

Raven was unsure what to do or say. She didn't want to insinuate that Sam was to blame but that's how she felt. This was so confusing.

"Sam, I'm sorry. I have no idea what happened. My feelings for you haven't changed. I still feel like we aren't supposed to be in a romantic relationship but I couldn't help myself."

He smiled softly, "Am I that hard to resist?"

She smiled back, "Apparently so." She crossed to the bed, sitting with her feet tucked under her. "I have tried to figure out how to say this without it sounding just horrible but there's no way so… Sam, I didn't want to do what we did. I feel as though I was forced into it."

He was at her side instantly, "Raven, I am so sorry. I never wanted you to feel that way!"

She interrupted him before he could go any further, "I don't believe it was you that forced me, Sam. It's difficult to explain."

He relaxed at her words. The thought he had forced himself on her make the bile rise in his throat.

"It's as though I had no control over my own actions. Like my own emotions weren't a consideration."

Sam straightened where he sat, "Like you were possessed?"

"No, no, "she explained, "I have an anti-possession tattoo the same as yours. Get the holy water, if you like."

"If you are sure, I trust you. But this is sounding more and more like something bigger than what we can handle on our own. I think we need to see a specialist."

"Sam, we have a job to finish. We can't just abandon it. The plant may be shut down but there are still people there who could get hurt. I am not going to let this get in the way of the job whatever it is."

Sam shook his head in disbelief, "My god, you are stubborn. But I understand."

"Did you still want to try a nap? We still have a couple of hours to kill before we can go." Raven suggested.

He sighed, "Probably not. I wouldn't be able to rest under the circumstances. Why don't you lie down? I'll make sure our plan has no holes."

Raven looked worried. She hadn't slept without Sam in quite some time. And yet again, he read her mind, "Don't worry. I won't be far away."

All she did was nod and crawl under the covers. She curled into a ball and was asleep in seconds.

Sam was supposed to be checking the plan but he watched her sleep. She looked so young, so peaceful. He felt a storm coming, one that might rock them to their very cores.


	21. Chapter 21

Sam had just finished recording the dog whistle on to a micro recorder when she first stirred. Raven had slept like a log so far. As a matter of fact, she hadn't even rolled over. But the blood curdling scream that was coming from her mouth was the end of the peaceful rest.

He leapt toward the bed and gently shook her, trying desperately to end the mournful sounds coming from what sounded like hell. She opened her eyes and stared through Sam, still moaning low in her throat. He shook her again and this time not so gently. She blinked at Sam, trying to focus.

"Sam… there was so much blood," she whispered, "… so much pain."

"Raven, what are you talking about, Honey?" he replied.

Her eyes cleared at the sound of his voice. She smiled up at him and rubbed his hand, "Hi. What did you say?"

Sam returned the smile and lightly prodded, "You were dreaming. You said there was a lot of blood and pain".

"I did?" she said with a questioning look on her face. She obviously has no memory of the dream.

Sam sighed, comforted and frustrated that she could not recall what had occurred. "It's ok. Probably nothing to worry about. How are you feeling?"

"A little better. I needed sleep. Is it time to leave?"

"Not quite yet. We have a little bit if you want to lie back down."

"Nah," she replied, "I feel pretty rested. Let's go over things. I want this to go without a hitch."

The drive back to the plant was quiet. Sam was trying hard to calm his mind and go over the plan again but his thoughts kept drifting back to Raven and what was going on. The dreams, nosebleeds, the passing out, headaches… it all had to be connected. Not to mention what he was feeling for her.

And what he was feeling for her was strong, stronger than anything he had ever felt. Everything in his body and soul was drawn towards her like gravity. He needed her, more than the craving for demon blood, more than air, and that scared him. But the more he contemplated things, the more he knew that it wasn't romantic love he was feeling, it was a compulsion. He didn't just want to be with her, he had to be.

She seemed to feel the same way. Otherwise, she wouldn't have reacted the way she did after they kissed. Raven was no more in control than he was.

Sam glanced at her. She was lost in her own thoughts. Wishing he knew that those thoughts were, he took a deep breath and cleared his mind. Distraction could get both of them killed.

Raven had been staring out the window since they had left the motel, not even noticing the passing scenery. Things had gotten way too complicated very quickly. Her emotions were flowing unrestrained and it was terrifying. All her life she had stifled her feelings. Feelings were liabilities. They were the antithesis of logic and reason.

Now, she was nothing but a ball of emotion. She was fear, passion, confusion, angst, and sadness but most of all, she was helpless; helpless to stem the flow and regain her precious composure. But instead of drowning, she was treading water… because of Sam. She could feel his strength keeping her grounded and sane.

Then, out of nowhere, the maudlin thoughts dissipated and her focus sharpened. Taking advantage, she went over the plan in her head. There was no room for error here.

Fortunately, since the plant was shut down, security wasn't as tight as it had been on their first visit. All they had to do was show their ID at the gate and at the entrance, no escort was needed. Security was on patrol around the perimeter of the plant. Each round was taking approximately twenty minutes. If they timed this right, they could be in and out before security even knew what was going on.

Sam's first stop, the plant manager's office to set up the micro recorder along with a makeshift timer he had rigged, giving them ten minutes to get the trap in place. Raven was watching the perimeter and as soon as the guard was clear of the door they were going to use, she sprinted in and started painting the gremlin trap in goat's blood.

By the time Sam came out the door, the trap was painted and dry, and the buckets were full of holy water. Each of them had a fishing net on a pole, just in case any of the slippery little monsters got out of their grasp. They even took the precaution to wear gloves with rubber grips on the palm. Better to be safe than sorry and covered in gremlin slime.

As they were looking everything over, Sam's phone vibrated in his hand, indicating the dog whistle recording was about to start. Both readied themselves in a slight crouch, blowing a quick breath out of their mouths.

Three purple streaks came out the door and stopped suddenly, caught in the large triangular trap. Raven grabbed the closest customer, who promptly screamed in her face, and dunked him in the giant plastic tub next to her. It only struggled for a few seconds and went limp in her hands. As she pulled it out of the water, it conveniently disintegrated into ash.

"Wow, that's a lucky break," she thought to herself. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sam smile when his gremlin did the same thing. Maybe this was going to work out after all.

Sam had worked his way through ten gremlins, easily. He knew Raven was keeping pace and there were at least a dozen waiting in the trap with still more coming out the door. This was taking too long. The guard was due back any minute. His brain tossed around options as another squirming creature took the plunge. Much to his surprise, he saw Raven move out of his peripheral vision to his left. She crept quietly behind him and caught the security guard coming around the corner with a beautifully executed roundhouse kick to the jaw. The guy dropped like a stone and wasn't going to be moving anytime soon.

When Raven looked back at Sam, his mouth was hanging open. What was his deal? Had he never seen a flying roundhouse kick before? She ran back to her position and started grabbing gremlins again. This time she was grabbing them two at a time and trying to hold both under the water. She had bought them some time but not that much of it. Her plan was working until one of them bit her hand. She reflexively let go and the purple pain in the ass took off. She couldn't let go of the one in her other hand until it was dead.

"Sam! Behind you!" Raven whisper/screamed.

He turned to see a streak of color run behind him toward the fence. Grabbing for the fishing net, he swung twice before he nabbed the gremlin. Struggling against the net, Sam knelt on its stomach to keep it still and drowned it by pouring holy water from his flask down its throat. It disappeared, as the others had, and Sam returned to what appeared to be the last of the gremlins in the trap.

Raven noticed there were no more monsters coming out of the plant and only a handful left in the trap. They were almost done. She was out of breath and covered in purple goo.

"What a glamorous life I lead?" she contemplated while another gremlin tried to gnaw on her. That one died by going in feet first. Her finger was still bleeding from the first bite.

Sam grabbed the last one and plunged it into the slimy, ash tinged water. He was out of breath and sweating profusely but smiling, none the less. This was an interesting hunt to say the least. When the gremlin turned to ash, he looked at Raven and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. Her chest was heaving and her t-shirt was covered in purple ooze. She stripped her gloves off and he saw the blood dripping off her hand.

Rushing to her side, he saw her wince.

"You ok?"

"Yeah," she answered. "One of the little bastards bit me."

Sam crinkled his brow and grabbed his bandana from his back pocket.

Wrapping her finger to stop the bleeding, he grimaced, "Let's get out of here. We need to find out if there are any effects from gremlin bites."

Raven hadn't considered that and nodded in return.


	22. Chapter 22

Taking their appearance into consideration, they snuck past the guards to the Impala. Once they were speeding away from the plant, Sam reached for his phone to call Bobby.

"Really?" Sam exclaimed.

Raven gave him a sideways glance. "What is it, Sam?"

"I have five missed calls from Dean." No sooner were the words out of his mouth and his phone lit up. He put it on speaker.

"Why wouldn't you answer your damn phone?!"

Sam sighed, "I'm sorry Dean but I was a little busy drowning a bunch of supernatural rodents and sneaking away from the scene of the crime!"

"Whatever. Is Raven ok?"

"Hey, Dean, I'm fine. Went off without a hitch."

Sam interjected, "That's not exactly true. Could you get Bobby to check the lore and find out if there are any effects from a gremlin bite?"

"A gremlin bite? Raven, did you get bit?" Dean said, sounding a bit alarmed.

"Oh for heaven's sake, Dean, I got bit in the finger. I'm not dying or anything. Calm the hell down." Raven was exhausted and everyone's overreaction was getting on her nerves.

"Sammy, I'm on it. Take care of her, please."

"I am sitting right here and I am a fucking doctor! Both of you stop treating me like I am a child!" Raven half screamed.

"Call me back when you have something, Dean." Sam quickly ended the call and pocketed his phone.

* * *

><p>Raven had the wound stitched up and bandaged before Sam had gotten out of the shower. She had doused it with holy water before disinfecting it, just to be sure. All the commotion was completely uncalled for. She'd been hunting by herself for years and had been injured much worse than a stupid bite.<p>

She huffed as she was cleaning up her supplies. She could understand concern, especially from Sam but Dean went over the top. Wait a second, how did he know she had been hurt? That was the second time he'd called to check on her after she had felt pain. She felt a tingle in the base of her spine and reached for her phone just as it rang. It was Dean.

"Hello Dean, any news?

"Well, apparently there are no ill effects from a gremlin bite. So, good news there." His voice sounded relieved, even happy.

"That's good to hear. Thanks for letting me know so quickly." As much as she hated to admit it, it was good to hear from him.

"No problem. Just glad you are going to be ok. Sounded like it was rough."

Raven chuckled, "Nah. I was in a hurry because we were running short on time and tried to drown two of them at once. One of them slipped out of my hand and bit me when I grabbed for him. Little bastards are mean."

Dean laughed, "Sounds like it. Wish I could have been there for that one."

"Me too, Dean," she admitted, "I'll fill you in on all the details when we get back. Sam and I are going to grab some sleep and then we'll hit the road."

Dean sighed a little, "Good. I am going crazy here."

"How are your ribs?"

"Good, real good. The bruises are turning yellow and I haven't needed any pain meds today."

Raven smiled, "Excellent. I'll check them out when we get there. You just might be able to get back on the road with us."

"Awesome." He sounded pleased.

"Hey Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"You know, you've called to check on me twice now when I was hurt. How did you know?" She asked softly.

He paused, sighed, and answered just as softly, "I just did. G'night, Raven." And he hung up.

She took the phone away from her ear and stared at it, smiling.

* * *

><p>Raven was sitting on the end of the bed, smiling at her phone when Sam came out of the bathroom. He took a second to look at her and it was wonderful to see her smile. Those had been few and far between lately.<p>

"Any news?" Sam asked.

She jumped a little and grinned at him, blushing slightly, "That was Dean. There are no ill effects from a gremlin bite."

Sam let out a relieved sigh. "Let's get to work on bandaging you up then."

Raven lifted her right hand to show him her handy work. "Already done."

He had to admit, he was impressed. She did that with her left hand. It was so easy for him to forget she had a life before hunting.

"You ready for bed?" he asked gently.

She nodded vigorously. "I am exhausted."

He turned down the sheets and they both settled in. He was going to reach for her but thought better of it. After last night, he thought she might not want to be near him. But she rolled right over into his arms and sighed deeply. Having this woman trust him was a balm for his soul. He squeezed her tight and kissed the top of her head.

"Good night, Raven."

She did not answer as she was already breathing deep and regular. Sam smiled into her hair and inhaled the scent of her shampoo.

* * *

><p>The trip back to Bobby's was uneventful. Basically driving non-stop, they made it in a little over two days. They were both eager to get home and the closer they got, the happier Raven seemed to be. She wasn't about to admit it but she could hardly wait to see Dean. She missed him. Sam tried not to notice but it was pretty obvious.<p>

* * *

><p>Sam and Raven told the tale of the hunt over grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. In hind sight, it was funnier than they had remembered it being. Even Dean was impressed with Sam's description of how Raven had taken out that guard. Sam was making her out to be some sort of ninja. Raven was blushing profusely. Dean couldn't help thinking that the warmth looked good on her peaches and cream skin. She was smiling and happy and he couldn't take his eyes off her. But neither could his brother. It was so obvious how Sam felt. There was a seed of jealousy growing in Dean's heart. She slept in her brother's arms every night. Who knows? They could have fucked by now. But as soon as the thought crossed Dean's mind, it was dismissed. Because when she returned Sam's stare, it wasn't love she was feeling. How he knew this, he had no idea. He shook his head to clear it and when he looked up from the table, her indigo eyes were on him. And god help him, there was love in her gaze. His heart squeezed in his chest and he stopped breathing. Holy shit, Raven loved him. How did he not see this before?<p>

Sam asked her a question and she glanced away. Dean took that moment to excuse himself. He made a beeline for the door and outside where he could think. Oh man, this is not going to end well.

* * *

><p>Raven stood and stretched, relaxed finally after such a tense few days. She told Sam and Bobby she was going to check her email and catch up on some correspondence from home. Going up the stairs to her room, she continued to smile, feeling content.<p>

She was changed into her pajamas and was reading an email from her brother giving her a recap of her niece's third grade play when she heard a shrill ring from her duffle. It was her satellite phone. Dread filled the pit of her stomach. No one used that phone unless it was an emergency.

She answered it quickly, "Hello?"

Listening carefully, her hands started to tremble, "Oh god no. No. No. Oh please no."

_A/N: If you are enjoying the story, please review and let me know. Reviews feed the muse. ;) I have another chapter fic I am publishing now as well. It's called From Here to Now to You. Check it out if you like. :) Also, if you have a request for a one-shot, drop me a PM and I'll see what I can do. Thank you for reading!_


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